Latest news with #LolaYamahaABT
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Lucas Di Grassi celebrates 20 years of racing in Monaco, shares rare video of his first-ever Karting race at 12
Lucas Di Grassi is celebrating two decades on the track at the Monaco E-Prix . He currently drives for Lola Yamaha ABT and had won the Monaco race in 2021. He is coming off a second-place finish at the Miami E-Prix held in April. As he gears up for the double-header in his own city, he has shared glimpses of his very first races—right from his first-ever international kart race 28 years ago. Lucas Di Grass shares rare glimpses of his first ever races On the occasion of Lucas Di Grassi completing two decades of international racing, his team, Lola Yamaha ABT, shared a picture of him and wrote on their official Instagram page, '20th year on the streets of Monaco. Through junior categories, Formula One and now Formula E… Lucas has seen it all.' The Brazilian driver went on to share a rare video from his younger days and wrote, 'Monaco Kart race in 1997 was my first ever international race in Junior Karting . At the end of the movie I was hanging out with @jarnotrulliofficial @luciocavuto. Thanks always for the support @tonykartofficial #FIAFormulaE #FormulaE #Electric #ElectricVehicle #Racing #Motorsport #Lola #ABT #ABB #ABBgroup #JuliusBar #JB #EY #BellHelmets #Enerzee #ZeroSummit.' A fan commented, 'Look at that little story maker.' Another called it, 'Simply lovely.' Di Grassi was around 12 years old when he competed in his first-ever international karting race and went on to win a karting series in Sao Paulo that year. He also shared glimpses from his first-ever Formula 1 race in 2010. He wrote in Portuguese, 'I will never forget the first laps in Brazil with @f1. This track is magical.' A few days back, Di Grassi also showed his fans how car racers practice on a simulator when they cannot train on real tracks. The video resembled the exact Monaco track, along with which Di Grassi wrote, 'In Formula E we only drive in Monaco at the same day of the race. Insane. That's why all prep happens at the simulator. 2-3 days, 12 hours a day.' Also Read: Monaco E-Prix 2025: Formula E set for yet another double-header, here's all about the most loved race of the year The Monaco E-Prix is a double-header this year, and the drivers have already flown into the city for the much-anticipated race. Round 6 will start early on Saturday, and Round 7 is scheduled for Sunday.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Lucas Di Grassi's podium at Miami E-Prix was an emotional moment: 'You need to have lot of discipline to be able to work when you have bad results'
Lucas Di Grassi 's podium finish at the Miami E-Prix wasn't something he or his team, Lola Yamaha ABT , had expected. Overwhelmed with emotion, Di Grassi was heard screaming with excitement in the car as it crossed the finish line and headed to the paddock. His family also joined him on the podium to share the special moment. Lucas Di Grassi opens up on his long journey to podium Lucas Di Grassi had not scored a podium in the last two years with Lola Yamaha ABT, and he expressed the frustration that had been building up during that time, as his hard work wasn't translating into results. His last podium came in Season 9, when he was part of Mahindra Racing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ColorsTV (@colorstv) The 40-year-old shared his journey to the podium after the win. He said, 'It's very hard to start the project from zero so in the four races, I had four critical problems that pretty much didn't allow me to finish the race. So I was like, it's extremely (tough), you need to have a lot of discipline to be able to continue the work and continue to push when you have bad results.' 'When you have good results, it's very easy. But when you have bad results, to go back home, keep the focus, keep the head down and keep doing the work that you do that at one point it's going to pay off. It's hard because you work, it doesn't. Then you work again, it doesn't pay off again. And then you keep working until it pays off. And today was a day it paid off. So I am very happy.' It was also emotional to see Di Grassi's wife, Bianca Diniz Caloi, and their young children standing alongside him on the podium as they popped the champagne. Buzzing with confidence, the driver is now aiming to keep the momentum going at the next race in Monaco. The double-header is scheduled for May 3 and 4. Di Grassi was promoted to second place after a series of post-race penalties altered the fate of several drivers who had finished ahead of him, including the original winner, Norman Nato. As Pascal Wehrlein was declared the official winner, Di Grassi was moved up to second place. Also Read: Lucas Di Grassi on Lola Yamaha ABT's second-place finish at the Miami E-Prix: "It's a very special podium for many reasons'
Web Release
13-04-2025
- Automotive
- Web Release
WEHRLEIN WINS MIAMI E-PRIX AFTER LATE PENALTIES THAT COST BOTH NEOM MCLAREN DRIVERS
Entertainment Web Release Selection By Editor_wr On Apr 13, 2025 In a chaotic Miami E-Prix, Pascal Wehrlein strategically used his ATTACK MODE to overtake teammate António Félix da Costa, ultimately winning after a late-race red flag and subsequent penalties reshuffled the results. Lucas di Grassi secured second, earning Lola Yamaha ABT's first podium, while da Costa finished third. Numerous drivers, including polesitter Norman Nato and both NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers, were penalised for failing to utilise their mandatory ATTACK MODE due to the race's interrupted conclusion. The race featured multiple lead changes, a Safety Car period and a dramatic three-car crash, culminating in a frenetic five-lap sprint to the finish. Andretti Formula E's Nico Mueller, Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra Racing and polesitter Nato completed the top six, respectively. Prior to the red-flag incident, both NEOM McLaren drivers ran an incredible race. Notably, Sam Bird made up 14 places and crossed the finish line in fifth while Taylor Barnard finished in eighth from his 11th place start. However, because neither driver used their mandatory ATTACK MODE before the red flag forced an early race finish, Bird and Barnard were each hit with a 10-second penalty resulting in them dropping to 18th and 20th place respectively. The Miami E-Prix result more than doubles Wehrlein's points score for the season, moving him to third in the FIA Drivers' World Championship behind da Costa and Oliver Rowland – despite the Brit's non-score. TAG Heuer Porsche leads Nissan 105 points to 79 in the FIA Teams' World Championship standings, with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team sitting in third with 67 points. Nissan leads Porsche in the FIA Manufacturers' World Championship 144 points to 120. For a full lap-by-lap race report, visit: Pascal Wehrlein, No. 1, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, said: 'We were lucky with the Safety Car to be honest, but I think we've had enough bad luck so we can also be lucky for once. Great job by everyone for bringing home this result. I knew that all the cars behind still had an Attack Mode to do – some of them six minutes – and my team kept me informed who was within six minutes. I still wanted to finish the race in P1 over the line, and I tried, but I knew that there was a penalty coming for [Norman] Nato and it is what it is.' The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship continues at a double-header event, Rounds 6 and 7 in Monaco next month, on 3-4 May. Next Post Etihad Credit Insurance: Host Partner at TXF MENA 2025 Comments are closed.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wehrlein wins the Formula E Miami E-Prix after crash unplugs teammate Da Costa
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's return to Miami Saturday for the first time since 2015 fell right into Miami's 2025 Racing Spring rhythm — dominant driver looking at a victory crafted to the perfection of a Mission: Impossible plan ends the day crushed when someone else's boo-boo collapses the plan. So were the three races danced during March's NASCAR weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. And, so twerked Saturday's Miami E-Prix at Homestead, which fell to Tag Heuer Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein, in front of an official attendance of 17,000. When it all shook out — and rarely has that old phrase been more appropriate —Wehrlein took first (but wasn't first under the checkered flag); Lucas di Grassi scored a stunning second for Lola Yamaha ABT, in just its fifth race with the Lola partnership; and Antonio Felix Da Costa stood on the podium in third, happy to be on the podium, disconsolate he wasn't standing in the middle where his Porsche teammate stood. Wehrlein, who said Miami was his favorite U.S. city, acknowledged racing luck that moved an apparent win to his part of the Tag Heuer Porsche garage from Da Costa's. 'It was great, though it was a bit of a lucky win,' said Wehrlein, the 2024 Formula E series champion. 'I thought on the podium a top five was possible. But, I think we've had enough bad luck this season that we can be lucky for once.' With six laps left, Da Costa led with Wehrlein second, but had it all over his teammate. No contender had more power left in his engine (Formula E cars regenerate power during braking). And, Da Costa had just kicked in his Attack Mode, which turns the car from a 300 kilowatt racer to a 350 kilowatt,four-wheel drive racer. The eight minutes of Attack Mode must be used in two four-minute spurts or a six-minute and a two-minute spurt. Da Costa decided to use six minutes. By the time he ran out of Attack Mode, there would be just over a lap left and he likely would just have to worry about bringing the car home safely for the win. But, way in the back of the field, Jake Hughes didn't make it through the perilous Turn 10 and 11 chicane. Max Gunther punted Hughes, and Mitch Evans got into Gunther's rear end. The cleanup brought out the safety car for a couple of laps, then a red flag. This poured Da Costa's Attack Mode down the drain. He would have none left for the restart with four laps left. His teammate and several others jumped him and left him powerless to fight it. 'Positives, there are many,' Da Costa said. 'We were second in both practices, we qualified third. We did the perfect race. We were up on energy on everybody by a bit. So, I'm just sad at the ultimate result.' He eventually settled into the philosophical shrug of race drivers felled by bad fortune: you'll win some races that way, too, and if a 'bad' day is finishing second or third, you're having a good season. The reverse problem hit those who had saved their Attack Mode for late race use. Rules say you must use all your attack mode, but for those with eight minutes left, four laps wasn't enough to exhaust Attack Mode. That's why Wehrlein won though he wasn't first under the checkered flag. That would be Norman Nato of Nissan, who got his first points of the year for winning the pole in the final qualifying duel with Andretti Motorsport's Jake Dennis. But Nato, like many drivers, didn't use all his Attack Mode. Nato slipped past Wehrlein coming off the last corner on the Homestead road course with Wehrlein pushing to stay in front, but knowing he lacked the traction and power. Also, he knew Nato's Attack Mode situation, so informed by his team over the radio during a message that could be summed up as don't do anything stupid, you've got the win. Nato wound up sixth after the penalty. Nissan teammate Oliver Rowland, the championship leader, also was one of the many dinged for Attack Mode violation and got moved down to 11th. Rarely will you see a driver happier to finish second than 2017 Formula E champion di Grassi, who hadn't been on a podium since the 2023 season opener. 'It's a very special podium for many reasons,' di Grassi said. 'We hadn't been in a competitive car for the last three seasons. It's rough to keep the motivation up, knowing, sometimes, you don't have the most competitive car. But, you try to keep your head down and do the work the best I can. 'On the other hand, it was a very important point for the team,' he continued. 'This is only the fifth race for this team. We were very competitive in practice, in qualifying and, then in the race, apart from Antonio, me and Pascal, the difference in energy wasn't that great.' Recalling Porsche's early years in Formula E, di Grassi said it had similar struggles to get competitive. Lola Cars owner and chairman, Till Bechtolsheimer, said, 'This is the first race we've been able to focus on performance as opposed to just reliability, debugging, getting all the kinks out the first handful of races. Now, we've made that shift to performance and trying to unlock the package we have.' As for the morale boost, Bechtolsheimer said, 'It's a huge boost to everyone. Everyone's been working so hard. The second youngest manufacturer in this championship is in its sixth year. We're playing catch up. That means unbelievable amount of man hours, unbelievable amount of work put in by the team. It's tough to keep putting in those hours, keep putting in that blood, sweat and tears for a goal two or three years from now. 'Getting the result in the here and now just makes everyone work that much harder and double down on the amazing efforts they've been putting in.' Qualifying provided the early afternoon big excitement for Andretti Motorsport with Jake Dennis just missing the pole in Homestead and Andretti's IndyCar's Kyle Kirkwood taking the pole for Sunday's IndyCar Long Beach Grand Prix. But, it was Nico Muller, who tore up his car at the Turn 10/11 chicane in practice, who provided the best result. Muller qualified 18th of 22 drivers in Homestead, but canny driving and smart use of Attack Mode — and post-race Attack Mode use penalties of others — put him just off the podium, fourth. Muller and engineer Bertrand Fermine won the Engineered to Outrun Award, given to the driver who makes the biggest position jump. Actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his appearances in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise, couldn't walk 8 yards behind the garage area without being asked for a selfie. When Kang got to the end of the garage, he had a chat with 1972 and 1974 Formula 1 world champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi. Along with Fittipaldi and Kang, also spotted during the prerace grid walk were 'Emily in Paris' actor Lucien Laviscount, 'Stranger Things' actor Caleb McLaughlin and world champion fencer Miles Chamley-Watson.
Miami Herald
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Wehrlein wins the Formula E Miami E-Prix after crash unplugs teammate Da Costa
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's return to Miami Saturday for the first time since 2015 fell right into Miami's 2025 Racing Spring rhythm — dominant driver looking at a victory crafted to the perfection of a Mission: Impossible plan ends the day crushed when someone else's boo-boo collapses the plan. So were the three races danced during March's NASCAR weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. And, so twerked Saturday's Miami E-Prix at Homestead, which fell to Tag Heuer Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein. When it all shook out — and rarely has that old phrase been more appropriate —Wehrlein took first (but wasn't first under the checkered flag); Lucas di Grassi scored a stunning second for Lola Yamaha ABT, in just its fifth race with the Lola partnership; and Antonio Felix Da Costa stood on the podium in third, happy to be on the podium, disconsolate he wasn't standing in the middle where his Porsche teammate stood. Wehrlein, who said Miami was his favorite U.S. city, acknowledged racing luck that moved an apparent win to his part of the Tag Heuer Porsche garage from Da Costa's. 'It was great, though it was a bit of a lucky win,' said Wehrlein, the 2024 Formula E series champion. 'I thought on the podium a top five was possible. But, I think we've had enough bad luck this season that we can be lucky for once.' With six laps left, Da Costa led with Wehrlein second, but had it all over his teammate. No contender had more power left in his engine (Formula E cars regenerate power during braking). And, Da Costa had just kicked in his Attack Mode, which turns the car from a 300 kilowatt racer to a 350 kilowatt,four-wheel drive racer. The eight minutes of Attack Mode must be used in two four-minute spurts or a six-minute and a two-minute spurt. Da Costa decided to use six minutes. By the time he ran out of Attack Mode, there would be just over a lap left and he likely would just have to worry about bringing the car home safely for the win. But, way in the back of the field, Jake Hughes didn't make it through the perilous Turn 10 and 11 chicane. Max Gunther punted Hughes, and Mitch Evans got into Gunther's rear end. The cleanup brought out the safety car for a couple of laps, then a red flag. This poured Da Costa's Attack Mode down the drain. He would have none left for the restart with four laps left. His teammate and several others jumped him and left him powerless to fight it. 'Positives, there are many,' Da Costa said. 'We were second in both practices, we qualified third. We did the perfect race. We were up on energy on everybody by a bit. So, I'm just sad at the ultimate result.' The reverse problem hit those who had saved their Attack Mode for late race use. Rules say you must use all your attack mode, but for those with eight minutes left, four laps wasn't enough to exhause the Attack Mode. That's why Wehrlein won though he wasn't first under the checkered flag. That would be Norman Nato of Nissan, who got his first points of the year for winning the pole in the final qualifying duel with Andretti Motorsport's Jake Dennis. But Nato, like many drivers, didn't use all his Attack Mode. Nato slipped past Wehrlein coming off the last corner on the Homestead road course with Wehrlein pushing to stay in front, but knowing he lacked the traction and power. Also, his team told him over the radio, basically, don't do anything stupid, Nato is going to be penalized for not using all his Attack Mode. Nato wound up sixth after the penalty. Nissan teammate Oliver Rowland, the championship leader, also was one of the many dinged for Attack Mode violation and got moved down to 11th. Rarely will you see a driver happier to finish second than 2017 Formula E champion di Grassi, who hadn't been on a podium since the 2023 season opener. 'It's a very special podium for many reasons,' di Grassi said. 'We hadn't been in a competitive car for the last three seasons. It's rough to keep the motivation up, knowing, sometimes, you don't have the most competitive car. But you try to keep your head down and do the work the best I can. 'On the other hand, it was a very important point for the team,' he continued. 'This is only the fifth race for the team. We were very competitive in practice, in qualifying and in the race, apart from Antonio, me and Pascal, the difference in energy wasn't that great.'
