Lucas di Grassi will be ABT Lola Formula E’s first driver, the team confirmed Tuesday. The team will be entering the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for Season 11.
Di Grassi will continue to race for ABT in the new Formula E season, which starts in São Paulo at the beginning of December. The Brazilian driver and German team have extended their 10-year cooperation to enter a new era together: from next season, ABT will form a team with Lola Cars, using a powertrain developed by the iconic British brand together with Yamaha Motor Company.
With 47 podium finishes, di Grassi is the most successful driver in the world championship, which was founded in 2014.
“Having a driver with such experience, skill and dedication as Lucas is a huge boost as a new manufacturer entering the series. These attributes, combined with his existing relationship with ABT, make Lucas the ideal person to have at the wheel for our return to motorsport,” said Lola Cars Motorsport Director, Mark Preston.
“His knowledge and feedback during testing have already proven invaluable and we look forward to hitting the track together in Season 11.”
“We are delighted to continue our journey in Formula E with Lucas. Not only is he a great ambassador for our team and the entire championship, but like all of us, he is eager and fully motivated to finally be successful again,” said ABT CEO Thomas Biermaier. “We know that working with a new manufacturer brings many challenges. This makes it all the more important for us to have the most experienced driver at our side in Lucas, in addition to the permanent members of the team.”
Di Grassi has competed in 131 Formula E races – more than any other driver.
“ABT is my family. I have experienced the best moments of my career there and have full confidence in the people who work hard every day to achieve success – so I am happy that we are also tackling the new challenges together,” said di Grassi.
The Brazilian has driven the first meters of the new era himself: In mid-June he drove the shakedown of the Lola Yamaha race car in Great Britain. It was the first outing for the new GEN3 EVO design with the newly developed powertrain.
“It’s a very exciting project with people who know what it takes to be successful in Formula E, alongside two renowned brands in Lola and Yamaha with a wealth of motorsport heritage and technical prowess,” continued di Grassi. “We have a few busy weeks ahead of us. Together we will do everything we can to be successful as soon as possible.”
The new set-up will see ABT continue to leverage its extensive experience to run the operations of the race team, with specialist support from Lola as manufacturer – the British brand working in partnership with Yamaha to develop the powertrain and related software.
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. This will form part of Lola’s strategy to re-establish itself as an industry leader, focusing on three areas of electrification, hydrogen, and sustainable fuels and materials.
ABT Lola will decide in the coming weeks who will take the second cockpit alongside di Grassi, before all teams meet for the official test in Valencia, Spain, at the beginning of November.