Nissan, Jaguar, Porsche and Lola. After the three major brands that already currently participate in the Formula E championship, the British manufacturer has also officially confirmed its commitment to the Gen 4 era of the electric category by signing an agreement valid until 2030.
The iconic British company, after a change of ownership and a long period of internal renewal to breathe new life into the project, announced last March its intention to take part in the Formula E championship starting from the 2024/5 season, i.e. with the debut of Gen 3.5.
For Lola, entry into the top electric series represents the opportunity to approach the world of motorsport again but with a different commitment. First of all, as in the case of ERT, the FE gives the chance to work on new technologies, software and tools that can then be resold on the market: beyond promotion on the competition fields, the series offers the opportunity to develop skills useful in the world of electric cars. Added to this is a second aspect, namely that Lola had also communicated that she would enter the series with the support of Yamaha, a global manufacturer which had thus confirmed its intention to return to four-wheel motorsport after almost twenty years of absence.
Lola Yamaha Formula E
Photo by: Lola
A collaboration which, at the moment, is only valid for the next two years, i.e. the Gen 3 Evo cycle, because Yamaha has not yet confirmed its presence for the Gen 4. What is certain at the moment is only that Lola and Yamaha track tests will begin with the new engine in June together with Abt Cupra, the team that will mount the British company’s Powertrains for at least the next two years. Clearly, behind the scenes Lola and Yamaha have carried out numerous tests on the bench, but never on the track, unlike the current manufacturers who began testing the new Powertrain on the tracks as early as March, thus gathering valuable information.
However, Lola’s decision to join Gen 4 represents a clear signal towards this category and the opportunities it can offer: “We are thrilled to confirm our commitment to Gen4”, declared the president of Lola Cars, Till Bechtolsheimer.
“Formula E is an ideal platform for developing powertrains and software that we can use for broader motorsport and automotive applications. We believe the opportunity for innovation in this series will only increase as car performance and technology develop, giving greater space to the development of innovative technologies in global motorsports and the wider zero-emission transport sector.”
Yamaha Lola FormulaE press conference
Photo credit: Motorsport.com / Japan
The key figure in this project is that of Mark Preston, who joined the project as director after having been the Team Principal of Techeetah, a team which in its journey in Formula E won three drivers’ titles, namely two Jean-Eric Vergne and one Antonio Felix da Costa between 2017 and 2020. The British brand has therefore chosen a person of depth and with great experience in the category to direct the project.
“With their historic return to top-level motorsport for Season 11 next year, we are delighted that Lola Cars is also committed to the GEN4 era, confirming its presence on the Formula E grid until at least 2030,” said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds.
Their trust in our series for their venture into electrification and innovation is testament to our ability to attract the biggest names in motorsport, as well as our shared ambition to continue to grow this championship.”
“It’s a great privilege for us and we can’t wait to see what they can do next year, when the famous Lola brand takes to the track for the first time,” Dodds added.
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