Lola Yamaha ABT completes debut driver line-up with rookie Zane Maloney joining “Mr. Formula E” Lucas di Grassi

• Lola Yamaha ABT has completed its driver line-up for season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with Zane Maloney to partner Lucas Di Grassi
• Maloney currently sits third in the Formula 2 Championship, and has already completed a number of Formula E tests
• The partnership will bring together the most experienced Formula E driver with the only rookie confirmed so far
• Signing underscores Lola’s overarching commitment to developing the next generation of motorsport talent and technology
• Further assets, including high-res images, can be found here

Lola Yamaha ABT will enter its first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season with one of the grid’s most exciting driver pairings, having confirmed rookie Zane Maloney as the teammate of “Mr. Formula E” Lucas di Grassi. In combining the driver with the most races in championship history with the only rookie confirmed so far, the team underscores its intent to shake up the status quo and drive the next generation of motorsport talent and technology.

“We’re delighted to welcome Zane to the team for the upcoming Formula E season, completing our driver pairing as one of the most exciting on next season’s grid,” said Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman of Lola Cars Ltd. “Zane is a hugely talented young driver with an abundance of speed and potential and, alongside Lucas, we have an ideal combination of youth and experience. Zane has demonstrated his abilities in a variety of junior categories and proven himself as a race winner, and we’re looking forward to seeing him get behind the wheel in testing, and then at round one in São Paulo.”

“We are very much looking forward to having Zane as part of the team for Season 11, and he has already brought a breath of fresh air during our first days working together,” added ABT CEO, Thomas Biermaier. “Giving young talent a chance and supporting them has been a strong tradition at ABT for many decades and that’s why it was clear to us that we would also follow this path in Formula E.”

Born and raised in Barbados, Maloney’s blossoming career has already seen him win the British Formula 4 Championship, finish runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and be named FIA Rookie of the Year in 2022. The 20-year-old is currently third in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and is a reserve driver for Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber. A reserve and development driver for the Andretti team since 2023, Maloney already has Formula E experience, having completed several tests.

“I am delighted to be part of the Lola Yamaha ABT team and looking forward to this exciting challenge,” he said. “Although I already know the championship well, this is a completely new chapter for me, so working with such an experienced team, and alongside such a successful driver, is the perfect next step. I’ve followed and admired Lucas’s battles over the past seasons, including when he became champion. I’m sure that I will learn a lot from him and together we will push both ourselves and the development of the car forward.”

Maloney’s rise through the junior ranks of motorsport has been hugely impressive, having started his karting career on the 0.9km Bushy Park circuit in his native Barbados where he competed against and beat juniors almost twice his age. Honing his speed and astute race craft, he took the bold step to compete in European karting, where he faced grids almost ten times the size of those he was used to. Success in these categories led to Maloney competing in numerous junior formulas, including claiming the British F4 Championship, as well as securing race wins in the Formula Regional European Championship and Formula 3.

Maloney has already joined the team for testing in Varano, Italy, and is back in the new car in Spain this week. “We won’t know how good our package is until São Paulo. I am confident that I have the raw speed to be competitive, but experience is key in Formula E, so I will do everything I can to catch up here as quickly as possible,” he said.

The eleventh ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season kicks off in São Paulo on 7 December. In early November, all teams will gather in Valencia, Spain for the only official test sessions. Lola’s agreement to join the Formula E grid with ABT is set to be just one element of a joint venture between the two companies to explore far reaching areas of sustainable motorsport. For the upcoming season, they have formed a team using a powertrain developed by Lola and technical partner, Yamaha Motor Company, the first step in Lola’s strategy to re-establish itself as an industry leader focusing on three areas of electrification, hydrogen, and sustainable fuels and materials.

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Contact: media@lola-cars.co.uk

About Lola Cars Ltd

Founded in 1958, Lola Cars is the most successful manufacturer of customer race cars of all time and has more than 500 championship wins globally. It is working to become an industry leader in sustainable engineering and motorsport, focusing on three areas of electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels and materials. Lola Cars will be competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from Season 11.

About ABT

As the world’s largest specialist for automotive aftermarket and performance parts for the Audi, VW, Lamborghini, Seat, CUPRA and Skoda brands, the name ABT Sportsline is world-renowned. The product line ranges from more engine power to body kits, over suspensions and interior design, to an extensive collection of alloy wheels. However, the Bavaria-based company, which has its roots in 1896, stands for much more.

Today, several attractive subsidiaries with a total of 210 employees join forces under the umbrella of the ABT Group. In doing so, they elegantly combine innovation and tradition. When it comes to drivetrain technology, the German company always has its finger on the pulse of the times: through ABT e-Line GmbH, the areas of electric and alternative mobility are covered as a further strong pillar of the company. And, of course, ABT Sportsline also stands for top-level motorsport, as it always has. This is demonstrated by the success story in the DTM, which continues right up to the present day, as well as the current involvement in the forward-looking electric racing series Formula E.

Media contact: Mark Schneider

mark.schneider@speedpool.com

+49 172 411 5378