Lola Cars back in the game, ready to electrify Formula E

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©LolaCars

The legendary Lola Cars brand is roaring back to life after a decade-long absence from motorsport.

The exciting return will see the celebrated manufacturer enter the all-electric Formula E championship, not as a team or constructor, but as a powertrain supplier in partnership with the Yamaha Motor Company from the series' 2025 season.

The announcement, made in Japan ahead of this weekend’s inaugural Tokyo E-Prix, marks a significant moment for both companies.

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with the Yamaha Motor Company as we enter the FIA Formula E World Championship,” said British businessman Till Bechtolsheimer who acquired the Lola name and remaining assets in 2022.

“To be selected by one of the most innovative OEMs in the world to partner on a project of this significance is a testament to the calibre of the team that we have been building at Lola.

“The focus of this project is squarely around technological development in which Lola is fully invested.

“We see the highly efficient 350 kW electric powertrain that underpins the manufacturer’s perimeter in Formula E, as a cornerstone technology with exciting applications across many forms of topflight international motorsport in the coming years.”

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This partnership also signifies a homecoming of sorts for Yamaha in car racing. The Japanese giant previously supplied engines to the Arrows Formula 1 team in the 1997 season.

“Yamaha Motor Company is accelerating the research and development of various technologies that contribute to sustainability," said Heiji Maruyama, managing executive officer and director.

“As the technical partner, we hope to acquire more advanced energy management technologies through the highest level of electric racing in Formula E.

“We also share Lola's new philosophy of sustainable motorsport and we are very pleased and honoured to form this partnership with them."

Lola and Yamaha have made no mention of which team will be the first recipient of the new powertrain but it is rumored that German outfit Abt, which will split from Mahindra next year, is a strong contender to be the partnership’s first customer.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.