Formula E – Page 11 – Syndication Server

Formula E CEO explains delays in implementing fast-charge pit stops

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has shed some light on the championship’s decision to delay the introduction of fast-charging pit stops, which were initially expected to be implemented last season in conjunction with the arrival of the GEN3 car. That was …

That was then moved back to this season, with tests at the opening two rounds of the season planned and later shelved following problems at the pre-season test in Spain and the first round of the season in Mexico. An anticipated race debut at the recent Misano X-Prix was also scrubbed.

At a media briefing ahead of the launch of the GEN3 Evo car (pictured below), Dodds explained the rationale behind the continued delays, saying that the charging technology itself — which enables teams to gain an additional 10 percent of energy in just 30 seconds — is at a point where it works, but suggested that issues arising after the charge is completed are to blame for the hold-ups.

“Where we are right now is that the technology has been proven to be successful,” he said. “We’ve tested it and it absolutely works, we can recharge it. But there are some slight challenges after the event of fast charging that we’re trying to iron out.

“At the moment, we’re not 100-percent confident we could launch that into a race and there wouldn’t be an issue today. There might not be an issue, but we’re not 100-percent confident.”

Dodds added that he’d rather Formula E focused on additional testing to get everything completely right before a proper rollout, either with next season’s GEN3 Evo, or earlier should the upcoming tests prove successful beyond doubt.

“What I’ve said to the team is don’t launch it,” he said. “No one wants to see a race that’s decided by an issue with fast charging.

“We’re halfway through Season 10; when we get to Season 11, we’re going to launch a new car into the world, so for me it makes more sense to keep testing, do an extensive race, modified test in Valencia later this year, and if it all works brilliantly, then introduce it into Season 11 with the GEN3 Evo car.

“Now, it could be that I’m wrong and over the next couple of weeks, or couple of races, they test it and they get to a point where they say, ‘We’re really confident this is good to go.’ In which case, we might deploy it earlier. But my instinct is it’s more likely to be for Season 11, at the start of the GEN3 Evo era.

Dodds also pointed out the huge challenge being undertaken, with no other charging application, in motorsport or otherwise, able to charge at the rate Formula E is trying to achieve, and insisted that the series shouldn’t feel bad for delays as it continues to develop the groundbreaking technology.

“I think I’ve said this to a few people — a few of the people in my organization feel really challenged when people question them about the launch of fast charging, because there was talk of it in in Season 9, there’s been talk of it in Season 10, and they get quite defensive about why it hasn’t launched.

“We’re trying to develop technology that doesn’t exist today in the world, to be able to charge 10 percent of a battery in 30 seconds, we’re right at the cutting edge of technology. So we should never apologize for trying to develop new technology. And that’s tough, that is difficult.”

Jaguar commits to Formula E GEN4

Jaguar has become the second manufacturer to commit to Formula E’s GEN4 regulations that will be introduced for Season 13 in 2026-27. It joins Nissan, which announced its intentions to provide drivetrains for the new formula back in March, in not …

“This is great news for Jaguar TCS Racing and for Jaguar. As a team we recently celebrated our 100th race in Formula E and, with Jaguar being reimagined as a pure-electric brand from 2025, the timing couldn’t be better,” said James Barclay, managing director of JLR Motorsport and Jaguar TCS Racing team principal. “Our commitment to the next, GEN4 era of Formula E is clear demonstration of the JLR Board’s confidence in the value of competition at the highest level, our race to innovate ethos and, importantly, how this aligns perfectly with our wider Reimagine business strategy.

“I am extremely proud of what the team has achieved to date in what is the pinnacle of electric racing, and we are all very excited for the future. Jaguar TCS Racing will continue to drive the rapid development of EV technology on the track, for the benefit of our future customers on the road.”

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As a powertrain manufacturer Jaguar, has been one of the strongest in the current GEN3 era. It won eight races — more than any other marque — last season en route to claiming second and third in the 2022-23 drivers’ championship with Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans respectively. It also took the teams’ championship with customer team Envision Racing, while the factory Jaguar TCS Racing team was runner-up.

This year it sits second in the newly-introduced Manufacturers’ Trophy, behind Porsche (TAG Heuer Porsche and Andretti) with one win courtesy of Cassidy, now with the factory team, who became the first non-Porsche driver to win this season in the second race of the Diriyah E-Prix.

“We’re delighted to confirm Jaguar as our second committed manufacturer for Formula E’s GEN4 era,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “Jaguar has been a mainstay of the championship since Season 3 and a consistent title contender in recent campaigns, with the brand’s racing activities and future electric road car range underscoring its firm focus on sustainable solutions.

“As we simultaneously present the GEN3 Evo single-seater which will race in Seasons 11 and 12 before GEN4 takes over for Season 13, we do so with confidence that the roadmap we are following is in line with manufacturers’ expectations when it comes to race-to-road relevance. That bodes well for a successful future for Formula E.”

Formula E reveals new-and-improved GEN3 Evo

Formula E has revealed its new GEN3 Evo race car, set to make its competition debut next season – a car that’s faster than the one it will replace, and tougher, too. As the name suggests, the new car represents a progression from the GEN3, which is …

Formula E has revealed its new GEN3 Evo race car, set to make its competition debut next season — a car that’s faster than the one it will replace, and tougher, too.

As the name suggests, the new car represents a progression from the GEN3, which is only in its second season of competition. Power (600 kW with regen), and the dimensions (5.016m x 1.7m) all remain the same as the outgoing car, as does the ability to have a 30-second, 600kW high-speed charge for Formula E’s anticipated introduction of fast-charging pit stops.

But thanks to a raft of upgrades throughout the car, there’s expected to be an overall performance gain of around two percent — equating to around 0.2s a lap. And that’s despite a modest weight gain of 19kg, taking it to 859kg overall including the driver.

“When I arrived in the business, one of the first things I saw was the development plan for the GEN3 Evo, and as a fan joining the business, not as the CEO, I looked at the step change in performance of that car and my question was, ‘Why isn’t this GEN4?’” Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds said of the new car’s performance gains in a media briefing ahead of the car’s unveiling in Monaco on Thursday. “It feels like the leaps in performance and technology are similar to what you saw from GEN1 to GEN2, and from GEN2 to GEN3.”

Among those improvements is all-wheel drive, which is being introduced for the first time.

While the outgoing car has a front powertrain to handle regen, the new car will have full AWD available for qualifying duels, race starts, and Attack Mode to improve acceleration — the dash to 60mph being completed in just 1.8s, which is 30 percent quicker than a Formula 1 car and around a 0.2 improvement on the current Formula E car — and grip, while adding another element of strategy in terms of when and where it is utilized.

There is also new bodywork which will not only aid the racing product thanks to improved aerodynamics, but it’s also more robust to cope with the rough and tumble of Formula E’s tight street circuits, too.

That aero is paired with better tires from Hankook, which are said to provide up to 10 percent more grip, according to the series. Hankook remains the spec tire supplier, fulfilling its final two seasons before Bridgestone takes over. Once again, the specification will be an all-weather tire with road relevance.

“We get asked lots of questions (like), ‘Why aren’t you on slick tires? Why aren’t you on high performing tires?’ and there’s a number of reasons for that,” Dodds said. “Partly sustainability, because we don’t want teams to be taking hundreds of sets of tires with them around the world for races. But it’s also partly because our manufacturers can take the tires that we work with in the race series, and variations of those tires can be used within their road cars. And we’ve just seen that, actually. We just saw Stellantis (represented in Formula E by DS and Maserati) launch the Abarth 600e, and they effectively launched it with a variation of the Formula E racing tire.”

The tires are also made from 35 percent recycled and sustainable materials (a nine percent jump from the current rubber), helping the car remain the world’s only net zero race car, with its production having a net zero carbon footprint and the car itself being made with recycled carbon fiber. The batteries are produced with minerals selected based on ethical and sustainable mining standards and will be recycled after use.

The car’s introduction comes at the same time as the expiration of the current homologation period for OEM-developed drivetrain elements. Once again, specific areas are open for development and will be subject to another two-year period of being locked in before the GEN4 car arrives in 2027.

But while this mid-cycle refresh is very much a new car in its own right — and teams have ordered new cars as well, they won’t be retrofitting GEN3s — it doesn’t mean Formula E has jumped the gun and inadvertently made the upcoming GEN4 less impressive by rolling out updates before that car’s 2027 debut.

“We probably could have squeezed a bit more technology and a bit more performance out of the GEN3 Evo if we’d have kept everybody working 24 hours a day,” Dodds said. “I think the sense is we didn’t need to do that because this is a material jump.

“But GEN4 and the specifications of GEN4 is a massive jump again, just through a battery size and capacity point of view, from a total power output point of view, from a styling and design point of view, (and) from a performance of the car point of view.”

F1 Academy champion Garcia to test Formula E with ERT

Inaugural F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia will drive for ERT in Formula E’s rookie test following the Berlin E-Prix next month. It will be Garcia’s first time in a Formula E car, and will also mark the first time a female driver has taken part in …

Inaugural F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia will drive for ERT in Formula E’s rookie test following the Berlin E-Prix next month.

It will be Garcia’s first time in a Formula E car, and will also mark the first time a female driver has taken part in an official Formula E session since former-W Series driver Alice Powell drove in the 2020 rookie test for Envision Racing.

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“I am thrilled to join ERT Formula E Team for the Berlin Rookie Test,” said the 23-year-old Spaniard, who is competing in the Formula Regional European Championship this season with Iron Dames. “Formula E represents the future of motorsport, and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to experience it firsthand.

“I’ve been following the championship closely, and I’m eager to get behind the wheel of the ERT X24 car and contribute to the team’s development. This test is a stepping stone in my career, and I’m determined to make the most of it.”

Alex Hui, team principal of ERT, hailed the addition of Garcia to his team for the test, saying, “Marta’s exceptional talent and achievements in F1 Academy are undeniable.”

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Marta García to the ERT Formula E family for the Berlin Rookie Test.

“This test serves as a fantastic platform to showcase her skills within the dynamic environment of Formula E. We are confident that Marta will quickly adapt to the unique demands of electric racing and provide valuable insights for the team.”

Whiplash of Misano wins and losses adds up for Rowland

Oliver Rowland feels the unusual 24-hour period in Misano in which he inherited one Formula E win after a post-race ruling, then lost another on the final lap, generated positive momentum overall for his Nissan team, despite the emotional roller …

Rowland was awarded the victory in the first part of the Misano E-Prix after Antonio Felix da Costa was found to have an illegal throttle damper spring in his Porsche, but lost out in Sunday’s race after running out of usable energy five corners into the final lap.

“It’s never the way you want to win, right? You want to stand on top of the podium, and in some aspects, I don’t class it as a pure win because I didn’t stand on top of the podium,” Rowland admitted. “I think what the judgment was for after the race wasn’t performance enhancing, so I didn’t deserve to win that race, let’s say, because somebody beat me.

“What I will take is the points and the rest of the stuff that comes with it, and also the confidence for the team. We’ve put one on the board, now so it kind of relieves a little bit of pressure on that side moving forward.”

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Rowland revealed that he had already left the track by the time the ruling was delivered, and was making his way to another hotel after a rough night before the first race day. Nevertheless, it wasn’t an unexpected call, with he and his team having a feeling something was coming after da Costa’s Porsche remained in scrutineering for a longer time than normal

“I actually had a lot of noise in my hotel on Friday night, and I think I slept an hour and a half,” he said. “So I was swapping hotels and walking between the two of them when I had a call from the team and they sort of informed me that we’d won the race.

“To be honest, it became quite apparent quite quickly after the race that there was something not quite right,” he added. “So we were aware that something was ongoing there and when a car stays in parc ferme for that long, obviously, there’s always a few questions asked.

After inheriting the Saturday win, Rowland nearly added a legitimate victory on Sunday. He had expected high temperatures to work in his favor and hamper the chasing Pascal Wehrlein but it was Rowland who ultimately suffered.

“We expected there to be some thermal limitation from the battery if you sat in the slipstream, very much like you saw in Sao Paulo — a lot of cars finished with a lot of energy still in the car because they weren’t able to use it because of the battery temp,” Rowland explained.

“So by taking the lead, I was also ensuring that I wasn’t going to have any battery temp issues. He (Wehrlein) was in my slipstream for the majority of the race — he kind of built up that energy but he wasn’t able to use it, and the team told me at some point that he’s going to struggle with temperatures and derating, and that’s why he can’t really attack you.

“I think what was quite frustrating is I still had the same energy as (Jake) Dennis, (Nico) Mueller and (Nick) Cassidy and I’d been leading for five laps already. So I was in a very strong position compared to the others if I’d have just held station for 15 laps, to go a bit longer. But it’s also very normal when a Porsche has one or two percent more (energy) than you — it’s almost every race I get told that — and I knew my targets when I could lead the race and when I wouldn’t be able to get past.”

Ultimately, it was the team’s assumption that Wehrlein’s energy advantage would amount to nothing, because of an issue that never came — and Rowland’s subsequent push to hold him off — that cost the British driver.

“In hindsight, the team said it wasn’t that obvious,” he said. “I was very similar apart from Wehrlein and Cassidy, and I think the team just assumed at that point that they weren’t able to use that energy because of the battery temp issues.”

Vergne adds another Formula E milestone with points feat

Already the only driver to win multiple Formula E titles, Jean-Eric Vergne added another record in the all-electric series to his résumé at last weekend’s Misano E-Prix: The DS Penske driver’s sixth- and seventh-place finishes in Italy helped him …

“I’m obviously very happy to have this record and to have collected all those points, as it’s a reminder of how far I have come since making my debut in Formula E,” said Vergne. “Now, what interests and motivates me more than anything is the points that I am yet to score in the future! We need to collect a lot more from the next races.”

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As well as Formula E’s points record, Vergne has 11 wins to his name, fourth all-time — and his four wins in the 2017-18 season is the equal second-best campaign recorded by a driver — while his 16 poles is equal to Sebastien Buemi as most all-time.

Like di Grassi, Vergne has been in Formula E since the very first season, entering the championship at its third race in Punta del Este, Uruguay. After seeing out that first season with Andrett Autosport, he aligned with French manufacturer DS, racing with it at Virgin Racing in season two, before spending two campaigns with Techeetah as an independent team — the second of which netted him his first title.

DS joined with Techeetah for the 2018-19 season, and Vergne duly secured a second title. He then followed the manufacturer to Dragon/Penske Autosport in 2022-23, the start of the GEN3 era.

“JEV is a truly great champion. (he) is an extremely talented individual and a very hard worker who always desires to go one better and constantly aims for this goal,” said DS performance director Eugenio Franzetti. “His way of thinking has always been very useful to us as a team, as it helps us make progress. Furthermore, our DS Automobiles brand ambassador brings motorsport experience to all the engineers who work on the road cars of today and tomorrow. His dedication and expertise are a huge asset for the marque.”

All-rounder Rowland keeping Nissan in Formula E title chase

Oliver Rowland says he’s enjoying playing an underdog role in this year’s Formula E championship, as he challenges the Jaguar and Porsche runners for the title. Rowland’s Nissan package is seen as being inferior to the pace-setting Jaguars and …

Oliver Rowland says he’s enjoying playing an underdog role in this year’s Formula E championship, as he challenges the Jaguar and Porsche runners for the title.

Rowland’s Nissan package is seen as being inferior to the pace-setting Jaguars and Porsches — Porsche won the championship with customer team Andretti last year as Jaguar won the most races with its factory team and customer outfit Envision Racing. This year is a similar story, Porsche and Jaguar heading the new-for-2024 manufacturers’ trophy, but in the drivers’ standings, Rowland is in the thick of the fight, and was even leading the points until he lost a certain race win last Sunday at Misano with less than a lap to go.

“I don’t think I ever expected to be in the position that I’m in at the moment,” Rowland told select media that included RACER. “But it’s been a welcome surprise, let’s say, and something that I’m actually relishing and enjoying.

“I guess that I’m enjoying the kind of underdog fight. I think nobody really expected anybody other than the probably the Porsches (and) the Jaguars to be able to challenge for the championship this year or race wins, so for us to be kind of in the mix and consistently performing is very positive.”

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Rowland, like championship leader Pascal Wehrlein, has two poles to his name this year, while Jake Hughes’ top qualifying performance on Sunday for Nissan customer McLaren means that the Japanese manufacturer’s powertrain has the most poles so far. But in races, the Porsche has been the class of the field thanks to its superior efficiency, which has enabled it to overhaul poor qualifying performances and score two wins for Wehrlein, another for Andretti’s Jake Dennis, and a fourth for Antonio Felix da Costa that was later rescinded and handed to Rowland.

But while Rowland acknowledges there are stronger drivetrains in the field, he says the Nissan’s all-round performance, keeping it there or thereabouts, is keeping him in the title fight.

“It seems that Porsche, in particular, always has a very strong race package that can kind of qualify a little bit up and down the grid, but still be able to come through,” he said. “But I think what kind of stands to our advantage a little bit at the moment is that we’re kind of good at both — we can qualify towards the front and we can race towards the front. I think it’s a tricky one to say, will we be there in London (for the season finale) — I think the best way to be there in London is just focusing on race by race.”

Elaborating on his chances to still be in the hunt for the championship by the time Formula E heads to the English capital in July, Rowland says there are two races he expects Nissan to fare well at, but two it might struggle at.

“If I look at the calendar, I think last year Nissan were very strong in Monaco in qualifying, and in Portland in qualifying, both Nissan and McLaren were… that was probably one of the best races of the year,” he said. “So I kind of think there’s a little bit of expectation to be competitive there and to be able to race at the front.

“I mean, Portland is going to be a bit of a Misano in terms of the race, but I think after the weekend, we’d have to say that we should be quite OK in those situations. Berlin was a big struggle for the team last year, and obviously, Shanghai is a new track.

“So I think looking at the remaining races, we’ve kind of got two that we don’t really know if we’re going to be that great at, and then two that we should be able to score strong points, in theory. By the time we get to London, unless somebody runs away with that, I think we still should be in with a shout if, if everything goes to plan.”

Updated Formula E car set for Monaco reveal next week

Formula E is set to unveil its latest race car next week ahead of the Monaco E-Prix. Dubbed the GEN3 Evo, the car will be revealed on Thursday, April 25, and will be raced in Seasons 11 (2024-25) and 12. Formula E says the new car will “deliver even …

Formula E is set to unveil its latest race car next week ahead of the Monaco E-Prix.

Dubbed the GEN3 Evo, the car will be revealed on Thursday, April 25, and will be raced in Seasons 11 (2024-25) and 12. Formula E says the new car will “deliver even more dramatic wheel to wheel racing,” and have “improved performance characteristics that will highlight Formula E and the FIA’s role in pioneering technology and sustainable motorsport.”

The GEN3 Evo will be the fourth Formula E car, following the Spark-Renault SRT_01E (GEN1), the Spark SRT05e (GEN2), and the current GEN3 car. An evolution of the GEN2 car had been set to roll out during the 2020-21 season but was ultimately delayed due to the pandemic, before being scrapped as running it for a single season before the 2022-23 introduction of the GEN3 was deemed uneconomical.

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“As we prepare to unveil the GEN3 Evo, we’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing,” said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds. “This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans.

“We are setting new standards in performance that will intensify on-track rivalries and fan engagement, keeping us at the forefront of global motorsports.”

The current GEN3 car has been in use since last season. Powered by a 47 kW-h battery supplied by WAE, the car has a maximum power output of 350 kW (around 470 bhp) – with an additional 250 kW (335 bhp) coming from regen – and a theoretical top speed of over 200 miles per hour. It’s also the first Formula E car equipped to handle in-race charging, the introduction of which has been delayed indefinitely.

While next week’s unveiling will showcase an evolution of Formula E’s current platform, an entirely new car, the GEN4, is set to be introduced from Season 13 (2026-27).

That car will have a battery from Podium Advanced Technologies, tires from Bridgestone (replacing current supplier Hankook), and front powertrains from Marelli, the current supplier. OEMs will continue to produce rear powertrains.

Calendar clash shakes up Formula E entry for Berlin

A calendar clash with the World Endurance Championship has forced three driver changes for next month’s Berlin E-Prix doubleheader. The WEC’s 6 Hours of Spa will take place on Saturday, May 11, and while that will leave Sunday May 12 free for those …

A calendar clash with the World Endurance Championship has forced three driver changes for next month’s Berlin E-Prix doubleheader.

The WEC’s 6 Hours of Spa will take place on Saturday, May 11, and while that will leave Sunday May 12 free for those Formula E drivers with clashes, FIA regulations consider the Berlin doubleheader a single event — despite it comprising two full championship rounds — meaning the drivers missing Saturday will have to miss Sunday as well. As a result, Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries and both Envision Racing drivers, Robin Frijns and Sebastien Buemi, will have to sit out both races in the German capital.

De Vries’ seat will be taken by Jordan King. The former IndyCar driver has long been a part of Mahindra, having first tested with the Indian team during the 2016-17 season before assuming a simulator and development driver role in 2021 – a role he also has at the Alpine F1 team. He also drove for Mahindra in Berlin last season as part of the official rookie test, although Berlin will mark his debut as a Formula E racer.

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“Mahindra is a team that I know inside and out after four years of working together, and a car that I’m already incredibly familiar with and helped to develop,” said King. “My focus is on keeping the team’s momentum going on the development front, and of course to enjoy the opportunity to be out there racing again.”

Mahindra will also run Kush Maini in the Rookie Test which will follow the Berlin race weekend. Ahead of that outing, the Indian — who has two podium finishes and a pole position in Formula 2 this year –will serve as the team’s reserve driver at this weekend’s Misano E-Prix.

“There’s a really good synergy at the moment between the work Nyck, Edo, Jordan and I are doing, but to a large degree it has been in isolation as we all have different schedules and commitments,” said Maini. “So, it’s going to be really beneficial, not just for the team but also me as a driver, for all four of us to be in that race weekend environment and contributing towards the team’s continued progression in the same room.”

Envision, meanwhile, will hand Formula E debuts to Joel Eriksson and Paul Aron in the Berlin races.

“This is a very unusual situation for us as a team, and we are obviously frustrated that the calendar clash could not be resolved by the FIA and FEO,” said Envision managing director and CTO Sylvain Filippi. “However, we have to make the best of the situation, and I believe with both Joel and Paul we have two very exciting and competitive drivers.”

Eriksson is the current test, simulator, and reserve driver for Jaguar TCS Racing which has released him to the customer outfit for the Berlin weekend. He tested with Envision in 2018, and ran eight races for Dragon Penske Autosport in the 2020-21 season, replacing Nico Mueller for the doubleheader events in Puebla, New York, London and Berlin.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to be racing in Formula E again, this time with Envision Racing,” said Eriksson. “After taking part in my first ever Formula E test with Envision, it’s great to be racing for them in Berlin, and we’ll be working hard together to have a successful weekend.”

Aron joins the team amid a strong Formula 2 campaign where he sits second in the points after six races with three podium finishes. He finished third in last year’s Formula 3 championship with four podium finishes, including a win in the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring.

The Estonian will take part in an extensive simulator program before racing in Berlin, and will also take part in the rookie sessions at Misano this weekend — as will King.

“It’s a great opportunity to race for Envision Racing in Berlin. I’m very much looking forward to experiencing Formula E for the first time and working with the team,” said Aron. “We’ll be working hard up until the race to prepare for the event, starting with the rookie session this week in Misano.”

ABT Cupra partners with Lola for Formula E

ABT Cupra has inked a deal with Lola Cars that will see the returning brand and its partner Yamaha supply it with drivetrains in the ABB Formula E World Championship from next season. The news comes after Lola confirmed a return to motorsport with …

ABT Cupra has inked a deal with Lola Cars that will see the returning brand and its partner Yamaha supply it with drivetrains in the ABB Formula E World Championship from next season.

The news comes after Lola confirmed a return to motorsport with Yamaha Motor, and ABT Cupra announced it would split from current powertrain supplier Mahindra at the end of the current season.

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“We are thrilled to be partnering with ABT as we bring the technology we’ve developed with Yamaha Motor Company to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship,” said Lola Cars chairman Till Bechtolsheimer. “It’s exciting to be working with a team that has so much history and success in the sport. Operating factory-backed programs is ABT’s bread and butter and their experience in Formula E will give us a critical leg up. We look forward to developing our relationship within and beyond the electric racing series.”

Development of Lola and Yamaha’s hardware and software has already been underway for some time, with dyno testing ongoing ahead of a planned on-track debut in June.

“Yamaha Motor is accelerating the research and development of various technologies that contribute to sustainability,” said Yamaha Motor managing executive officer and director Heiji Maruyama. “As the technical partner of Lola, we hope to acquire more advanced energy management technologies through the highest level of electric racing in Formula E.

“We are very happy and honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the success of such a great team as ABT with our technology, working together with Lola.”

ABT returned to Formula E last season with backing from Cupra after a one-year hiatus following its split from long-term partner, Cupra’s Volkswagen stablemate, Audi. Before joining forces with Lola and Yamaha, ABT Cupra had been in discussions with Porsche, another Volkswagen Group brand regarding a supply deal.

Lola and Yamaha come into the ABT fold after ABT’s unsuccessful alliance with Mahinda. After winning a drivers’ a teams’ title, as well as 14 races in its first seven-year spell in Formula E, ABT has registered no wins or podiums. and just six points finishes in the 20 races that have taken place since the beginning of the 2022-23 season.

“This is the beginning of an exciting new era in our Formula E history for the ABT brand,” said Abt Group CEO Hans-Jürgen Abt. “We started as a private team in 2014, were then Audi’s factory team, have been a customer team since the comeback and now want to move back up to the front of the grid with this new partnership.”

ABT CEO and team principal Thomas Biermaier added, “We are delighted to have found two renowned partners for our future in Formula E.

“Of course, it will be a big challenge for a new manufacturer to enter and establish itself in a world championship. But during our discussions and negotiations over the past few months, we have clearly sensed how skilled, motivated and determined Lola and Yamaha are to make this project a success — just like every member of our team.”