Formula E & Lola Yamaha ABT
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the most strategically complex racing series in the world. Fully electric single-seaters competing on street circuits, energy management replacing fuel strategy, and a competitive field that has attracted every major automotive manufacturer. It’s the championship where the engineering challenge isn’t just speed — it’s efficiency, adaptation, and real-time decision-making under constraints that don’t exist anywhere else in motorsport.
I’ve been involved in Formula E since Season 1 — first as a founding Team Principal with Amlin Aguri, then leading DS TECHEETAH to five World Championships. Now, as Team Principal of the Lola Yamaha ABT Formula E team, I’m leading one of motorsport’s most storied constructors back into global competition alongside Yamaha Motor Co. and ABT Sportsline.
The partnership was announced at the Tokyo ePrix in 2024. Lola brings decades of chassis engineering heritage. Yamaha brings world-class electric powertrain expertise. ABT brings operational excellence from years of Formula E competition. Together, we’re building something designed to compete at the front — with electrification, sustainable materials, and the GEN4 era of Formula E as the platform.
I draw on this experience directly in my public speaking and advisory work, translating the high-pressure dynamics of Formula E into actionable leadership insights.
The Lola Yamaha ABT Partnership
Lola Cars is one of the most successful constructor names in motorsport history. Yamaha is one of Japan’s great engineering companies with deep expertise in electric motor technology. ABT Sportsline brings years of Formula E operational experience. This is a partnership built to win — combining heritage, technology, and competitive rigour in equal measure.
Read the Forbes coverage of the announcement →
Inside Formula E
Formula E is unlike any other racing series. The strategy, the energy management, the aggression — it demands a different kind of thinking. Here are three deep dives into what makes it so compelling.
Why Are Formula E Drivers So Aggressive?
190 overtakes in a single race. Huge lunges, wheel banging, and lap-long battles. What makes Formula E so much more aggressive than other series? The GEN3 car produces around 470 BHP — about half of F1 — but with significantly less downforce. On treaded tyres, at up to 200 mph, that makes for some of the most exciting racing on the planet.
Why No One Wants to Lead a Formula E Race
In F1, you fight to get to the front and stay there. In Formula E, I watched a race where none of the drivers wanted to lead. The energy management strategy behind that decision is fascinating — and completely unlike anything in traditional motorsport. I spoke to the drivers and engineers to find out what was going on.
Is Formula E Harder Than F1?
I’ve driven F1 cars from the early 80s through to the mid-2010s. Then I drove a Formula E car for the first time in Diriyah. The differences are more profound than you’d expect — and my answer to which is harder might surprise you.
Formula E Podcasts
For a broader view into the world of Formula E — the strategy, the technology, and the personalities — these are worth following.
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Discover how Mark applies the lessons of Formula E leadership to help organisations perform at their best. Learn about his public speaking engagements, explore advisory services for high-performance teams, or dive into the Motorsport MBA programme that connects racing with business strategy. Ready to start a conversation? Get in touch.