Why Lola is bringing its Formula E race operation in-house for Gen4 after ABT exit

After two seasons together, Lola Yamaha will enter Formula E's Gen4 era without ABT Sportsline. Owner Till Bechtolsheimer says bringing the race operation fully in-house should deliver both efficiency and performance gains. The timing is deliberate, with Lola using the start of Gen4 to bring its engineering and racing structures closer together.

Since taking over Lola in 2022, Bechtolsheimer has been working to rebuild the brand step by step and establish it in motorsport once again. He sees the Formula E entry alongside Yamaha and ABT in Season 11 as the first major project to revive the Lola name.

The programme has also started to deliver on track. Lucas di Grassi scored a somewhat fortunate maiden podium for Lola Yamaha ABT at the 2025 Miami E-Prix, before a strategy gamble helped the manufacturer claim its first Formula E victory in Shanghai in 2026.

Speaking to Autosport, Bechtolsheimer stressed that Lola's ambitions extend well beyond its Formula E programme. The revival of the historic Lola T70 is the company's second major project. Lola also wants to return to sportscar racing in the longer term, sees potential opportunities in the new Hypercar regulations from 2030, has expressed interest in developing a GT3 project with a car manufacturer and is already working on further projects, some of them potentially substantial.

Those ambitions are also reflected in Lola's move to a new headquarters at Silverstone. The new facility is set to become the operational base for the Formula E team, bringing design, development and race operations closer together. Lola's existing building, from which development of the Lola-Yamaha powertrains has already been managed, is set to house the new simulator among other facilities. According to Bechtolsheimer, the company is expanding so quickly that even the new building could soon become too small.

The previous Formula E structure was established after Lola acquired ABT's team licence ahead of its entry for the 2024/25 season. The German outfit subsequently remained involved as the operational partner responsible for running the cars.

Gen4 was the right time for Lola to restructure its Formula E operation

After two seasons in which ABT Sportsline was responsible for the operational running of the Lola-Yamaha cars, Lola will bring that part of the programme in-house at the start of the Gen4 era. Powertrain development has already been managed from the UK, while the test car has also been operated from there. Bechtolsheimer described ABT's previous role to Autosport as something between a partner and a service provider.

With Formula E now moving into Gen4, Bechtolsheimer believes the right moment has arrived to consolidate those structures within Lola. He expects the move to bring efficiency gains from a cost perspective, but sees an even greater opportunity on the performance side.

By allowing the design and development teams to work more closely together while also having the simulator available at the same site, Lola expects its processes to become more efficient. The restructuring is therefore part of the company's plan to take the next sporting step in Formula E.