Lola Cars is set to make a comeback to global motorsport with a multi-year technical partnership with Yamaha Motor Company. The iconic brand, with over 500 championship wins, will enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as a manufacturer from Season 11. Lola Cars will work with Yamaha to develop and supply a powertrain to compete in the world’s first all-electric, single-seater race series starting from the 2024/25 season, with the introduction of an evolution of the current GEN3 race car.
Mark Preston, Motorsport Director of Lola Cars Ltd, expressed excitement about their entry into Formula E. Preston emphasized that this project would allow Lola Cars to create a unique electrified platform with a software focus at its core, contributing to Lola’s broader plans to shape the future of motorsport technology.
Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman of Lola Cars Ltd, shared his enthusiasm about partnering with Yamaha Motor Company for their entry into the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Bechtolsheimer underscored the significance of being selected by such an innovative OEM for a project of this magnitude and highlighted the focus on technological development in the partnership. Bechtolsheimer also noted that they hope to leverage the highly efficient 350 kW electric powertrain in Formula E for future applications across various top-tier international motorsport events.
Heiji Maruyama, Managing Executive Officer and Director of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., emphasized Yamaha’s commitment to accelerating research and development technologies that promote sustainability. Maruyama expressed hope that their partnership with Lola in Formula E would help them gain advanced energy management technologies through the pinnacle of electric racing. Maruyama also noted that there was alignment between Lola’s philosophy of sustainable motorsport and Yamaha’s vision for promoting sustainable transportation through technology innovation.
