The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, also known as ADARL, announced a new partnership for its debut in Formula E next season. The Abt SportsLine organization, currently operating under the Abt Cupra banner, will join forces with the Lola-Yamaha alliance. This change will see Abt Cupra move away from the Mahindra powertrain, which has proven challenging for them in the first two seasons of the Gen3 rules era. The split from Mahindra was agreed upon after a disappointing first campaign, where Abt finished last in the team standings. Negotiations for a new powertrain supply for seasons 11 and 12 are ongoing.
The partnership between Lola-Yamaha and Abt Cupra was solidified during the Tokyo stage of Formula E last month. Representatives from both teams were seen near the Abt Cupra box, indicating that the agreement had been reached and formalized. Hans-Jurgen Abt, CEO of Abt SportsLine, expressed his excitement about the new partnership, stating that it marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the Abt brand in Formula E. Till Bechtolsheimer, owner of Lola, described the partnership as “exciting” and believes that Abt’s experience in Formula E will give them a significant advantage.
In preparation for the upcoming season, Lola-Yamaha and Abt plan to conduct a preliminary test of the new powertrain in early June. This will be followed by a more formal test later in the same month. Discussions between Lola-Yamaha and Abt began late last year when it became clear that Abt would not continue with Mahindra. Thomas Biermeier of Abt Cupra acknowledged the challenges that would come with a deal with Porsche and instead sought a partnership with Lola-Yamaha. Lola-Yamaha recently became a registered manufacturer, and discussions between the two parties began in February.
Lola-Yamaha has expressed its desire to work with other manufacturers in the future, following a trend established by previous incarnations of Lola. The new partnership with Abt Cupra allows them to establish a relationship with a manufacturer within the VW Group, which has strong ties and partnerships with Abt. In turn, Abt Cupra benefits from the association with an ambitious motorsport brand like Lola and a Japanese manufacturer like Yamaha. With Lucas di Grassi already confirmed for the next season and experienced personnel from both teams involved, this partnership seems promising for all parties involved.
