Bringing with him a wealth of motorsport experience across both Formula E and Formula 1 - including serving as Team Principal of the NIO Formula E Team - Hughes will lead all operations and sporting matters while overseeing the day-to-day running of the Lola Formula E Team.
The appointment marks a return to Lola for Hughes, who was not only its Head of F1 Engineering in 2009 but also carried out his MSc research thesis on suspension design with the company.
Gerry Hughes, Deputy Team Principal, Lola Formula E, said: “Having worked for Lola on two previous occasions, the opportunity to re-join the prestigious British marque is something of a home coming for me and one that I take great pride in. Joining Lola also marks the third time I have worked alongside Mark Preston and Peter McCool, so there are a number of familiarities which will help me hit the ground running. Formula E has certainly come a long way technologically since I bowed out at the end of Season 5 and I am excited to be returning to the championship as it enters this new era.”
In further news, the team has revealed that for the upcoming 2026/27 Formula E season, they will compete as the 'Lola Formula E Team'. This name change reflects Lola’s growing capabilities as an independent manufacturer, following the in-housing of the race team, with the team reaffirming that Yamaha will continue its role as technical partner.
Mishern Chetty, CEO, Lola Cars said: "Since the inception of Lola’s Formula E program Yamaha has been an invaluable technical partner, providing expertise and resource which has been key to our development. We are proud to be continuing this relationship with them for our GEN4 campaign, where they remain a core part of the team.
"The importance of our relationship with Yamaha was reflected through their inclusion in our team name and branding level in our initial seasons. However, following the decision to bring the race team in-house for GEN4 to streamline activities and increase expertise for future motorsport projects, we have updated our team name and positioning accordingly.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Formula E's all-new GEN4 era
The Lola squad finished last season 10th in the Teams' Championship on 35 points - the majority of the points tally coming from Lucas di Grassi's incredible victory at the 2026 Shanghai E-Prix.
The team will announce their 2026/27 driver line-up in due course.
Find out more
GEN4: A new era of Formula E is about to begin
WATCH: How to watch every Formula E race in your country
CALENDAR: Here's every race set for the 2026/27 Formula E season
TICKETS: Secure your grandstand seats and buy Formula E race tickets
