Lola Yamaha ABT signs Formula E rookie Zane Maloney for the 2024/25 season

There have been rumours for several weeks, but now it's official: Zane Maloney will drive alongside Lucas di Grassi for Lola Yamaha ABT in the eleventh Formula E season. The team made the announcement on Wednesday noon. The 20-year-old talent from Barbados has not yet contested an E-Prix and could become the only rookie of the 2024/25 season, unless ERT signs another one.

Maloney is regarded as a top talent in international motorsport. In his young career, he has already won the British Formula 4 Championship, finished second in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and was named Rookie of the Year in 2022 there. He currently occupies third place in the FIA Formula 2 and is a reserve driver for the Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber.

Maloney does not come to the electric series without Formula E experience: he has been a reserve and development driver for Andretti since 2023. In that role, he has taken part in both rookie tests in Berlin and both rookie training sessions in Italy for the US team - always with good results. Maloney has recently completed test drives in Varano (Italy) with his new team too and is back in the new Gen3 Evo car in Spain this week.

"I'm looking forward to being part of the Lola Yamaha ABT team and to this exciting challenge," says Maloney. "Although I already know the championship well, this is a completely new chapter for me. Therefore, working with such an experienced team and alongside such a successful rider is the perfect next step."

"I have followed and admired Lucas' battles in previous seasons, including when he became champion," says the youngster, looking back on the 2016/17 season. Di Grassi was confirmed for season 11 some time ago. "I am sure that I will learn a lot from him and that together we will drive both ourselves and the development of the car forward."

Biermaier: "Has already brought a breath of fresh air to things"

"We are delighted to have Zane in the team for season 11 and he has already brought a breath of fresh air to the team in the first few days of our collaboration," says Thomas Biermaier, CEO of ABT. "Giving young talents a chance and supporting them has been a tradition at ABT for many decades. That's why it was clear to us that we would also follow this path in Formula E." Maloney succeeds Nico Müller, who recently moved to Andretti.

Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman of Lola Cars, says: "Zane is an extremely talented young driver with a lot of speed and potential. Together with Lucas, we have an ideal combination of youth and experience. Zane has demonstrated his ability in a variety of junior categories and has proven to be a race winner. We are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel at the tests and then at the first race in Sao Paulo."

It remains to be seen whether he will be able to fight for victories with Lola Yamaha ABT, which is now the official team name. "We won't know how good our package is until Sao Paulo," says Maloney. "I'm confident that I have the basic speed to be competitive, but experience is crucial in Formula E. So I will do everything I can to catch up here as quickly as possible." The new Formula E season starts on 7 December in Brazil.