The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, also known as the ADARL, has announced a new partnership for its Formula E debut next season. The Abt SportsLine organization, currently operating under the Abt Cupra banner, will be joining forces with the Lola-Yamaha alliance. This move 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 teams’ standings. Negotiations for a new powertrain supply for seasons 11 and 12 are currently underway.
The partnership between Lola-Yamaha and Abt Cupra was solidified during the Tokyo Formula E round last month. Representatives from both teams were seen in and around the Abt Cupra pit box, indicating that the deal had been agreed upon and formalized. Hans-Jurgen Abt, the 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, the owner of Lola, described the partnership as “thrilling” 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 are planning to conduct a shakedown of the new powertrain in early June. This will be followed by a more formal test later in the month. Discussions between Lola-Yamaha and Abt began at the end of last year, as it became clear that Abt would not continue with Mahindra. Abt Cupra’s Thomas Biermeier recognized the challenges that would come with a deal with Porsche and instead pursued 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, continuing a trend set 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 links and partnerships with Abt. Abt Cupra, on the other hand, benefits from the association with an ambitious motorsport brand like Lola and a Japanese manufacturer like Yamaha. With Lucas di Grassi already confirmed for next season and experienced personnel from both teams involved, this partnership looks promising for all parties involved.