Following a challenging weekend in Monaco, the Lola Yamaha ABT team will be looking to add more points to its current total in front of a home crowd for the team’s technical partner, Yamaha Motor Co.
Last year’s inaugural Tokyo E-Prix was loved by fans and drivers alike, therefore the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is returning for not one but two races in the heart of the Japanese Capital.
The 2.582km street circuit, which surrounds the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre, features 18 turns, three notable straights and high-speed combinations, set against the Tokyo skyline.
Lola Cars last competed in Japan in 2013, when Rebellion Racing’s Lola B12/60 finished on the podium in the Six Hours of Fuji. Japan was also the location of Lola's last F1 podium in 1990 when Aguri Suzuki crossed the Suzuka finish line in third place in the Larousse Lola LC90.
“I thoroughly enjoyed racing in Japan last year, the fans are so welcoming and the atmosphere is fantastic. This all adds to the appeal of the E-Prix here which takes place on a proper Formula E circuit with a number of challenging, high-speed sectors. Conditions are expected to be mixed which could be beneficial to us given our improved pace in the wet in Monaco and we look forward to pushing ourselves to achieve a step-up in performance.”
“I’m really looking forward to racing in Tokyo this weekend for the first time. I’ve spent a lot of time in the sim in preparation for what is a super technical and challenging circuit. I hope this practice, combined with the development the team has been doing since Monaco will put me in the best position to hopefully score my first points for Lola Yamaha ABT.”
“Tokyo is our home race and a special place for us in the Formula E calendar. We are working hard together as one team to achieve good results here.”
“We’re very excited to be racing here this weekend, not only because it is one of the team’s home races but also due to Lola Cars’ rich history in Japan. The whole team has been working very hard since Monaco to build on our pace and hopefully secure more points on the streets of Tokyo.”
“Although Monaco was a difficult weekend for the team, we have been working hard in data analysis to work out why we struggled for pace in the dry. We have hopefully now resolved this ready for our first home race as a team and are targeting to fight for points again here in Tokyo.”Heading into the races in Tokyo, the Lola Yamaha ABT team is tenth in the Teams’ standings with 18.
