F1 News
New Formula E manufacturer Lola chooses former F1 driver
- Ludo van Denderen
New combination ABT Lola has entered its eleventh season in Formula E with Lucas di Grassi. The former F1 driver- who raced for Virgin in the past - should become the standard-bearer for Lola, which is making its return to the very highest level of motorsport after years of absence.
Last season, Di Grassi - who became Formula E world champion once - drove for ABT Cupra, the forerunner of the new ABT Lola team. "A driver with as much experience, skill and dedication as Lucas is a huge boost for a new manufacturer entering the series. These attributes, combined with his existing relationship with ABT, make Lucas the ideal person to have behind the wheel for our return to motorsport," said Lola Cars Motorsport Director, Mark Preston. "His knowledge and feedback during testing have already proved invaluable and we look forward to taking to the track together in season 11."
Lola iconic name in motorsport
Lola is an iconic name in motorsport. It has a very rich history in motorsport, particularly as a chassis manufacturer. For instance, the team was active in Formula 1, IndyCar and endurance racing for many years. Illustrious drivers such as Graham Hill, Alan Jones, Michele Alboreto and Aguri Suzuki drove Lola cars. The British briefly made their entrance into Formula 1 as an independent team in 1997, but that adventure was anything but a success. In 2012, Lola went bankrupt.
This article was written in collaboration with Ben Stevens.