Lola announced Zane Maloney as its official driver for Formula E Season 11, giving space to a rookie.
Zane Maloney was born in 2003 and is the first driver from Barbados to compete in Europe. His journey toward the single-seater championships started in North America, where Maloney competed in his first karting championships. Later, he moved to Europe to follow his ambitions, racing in the British Formula 4 Championship during 2019, and winning the title thanks to seven victories and fifteen podiums. He was the first Barbadian to win a European championship.
In 2020 he raced in Euroformula Open, concluding in eighth place the season. The year after, in 2021, Maloney debuted in Formula Regional, finishing sixth after one victory and six podiums. After his performance in Formula Regional, the Barbadian debuted in Formula 3 with Trident. During the season he obtained three victories and concluded the year in second place, behind Victor Martins. Later in 2022, he drove in Formula 2, during the last round in Yas Marina. Maloney raced in Formula 2 in 2023 with Carlin, finishing in tenth position. After a turbulent first season, he chose to compete a second time in Formula 2. The season is still on, with Maloney in second place, behind Gabriel Bortoleto.
Formula 1 and Formula E experience
Zane Maloney has tested both Formula 1 and Formula E cars. The Barbadian is now a member of the Sauber junior team, but in the past years – from 2021 to 2023 – he raced with the Red Bull suit, testing the F1 cars of the team from Milton Keynes while competing in the junior championships.
Maloney isn’t a stranger even in the Formula E paddock, working as Andretti’s third driver since last season. The Barbadian took part in the Rookie test in Misano and Berlin with the American team during Season 10 and he raced in Rome during Season 9. The announcement from Yamaha Lola didn’t arrive out of the blue. In recent months, Maloney was linked to Formula E several times.
Zane Maloney: between Formula 2 and Formula E
Lola will debut in Formula E for Season 11, who are now in partnership with ABT Cupra. Weeks ago, the team announced Lucas Di Grassi as the first member of the lineup. Di Grassi is the most experienced driver on the grid and has raced in FE since Season 1, winning the title in Season 3. With the announcement of Maloney, Lola competes with the team for Season 11. The young Barbarian has the possibility to race alongside the Brazilian, learning faster how to adapt to the category. The team hopes to find success by combining two generations.
Zane Maloney will be in action for the first time with the team during the pre-season tests in Valencia, in November and will start the season in December. The driver hasn’t announced his retirement from Formula 2 (unlikely Taylor Barnard, who will race for McLaren in Season 11), and will complete the season. The Barbarian driver is involved in the title fight with Gabriel Bortoleto, with the Brazilian driver leading the standings. There is only one problem: the first Formula E weekend, the São Paulo E-Prix, will take place during the same weekend of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last Formula 2 round of the season. Maloney, obviously, must decide which championship to race in that weekend.
