Rowland to join Nissan Formula E Team alongside Fenestraz for Season 10

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2023/08/30

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Formula E Team will field the returning Oliver Rowland for the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, partnering Sacha Fenestraz following his impressive rookie season.

Rowland joined Nissan as a rookie in 2018, the same year the Japanese manufacturer debuted in Formula E. He raced for the team between Seasons 5 and 7, taking five pole positions and five podiums, including a victory in Berlin in 2020. The 31-year-old driver from Barnsley has a strong racing CV in addition to his Formula E success, taking the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series title, along with a third-placed finish in the 2017 FIA Formula 2 championship.

Meanwhile, Fenestraz will continue his development with the Nissan Formula E Team after a promising Season 9. During his rookie year, the 24-year-old impressed many with his ability to adapt to Formula E machinery, claiming pole position and the fastest Formula E lap of all time at the Cape Town E-Prix in just his fifth race with the team. He also set the fastest lap of the race in Monaco and regularly fought at the front of the field.

Season 10 will be Formula E’s biggest of all time, with 17 races planned, including the first-ever E-Prix in Japan, set to be hosted in Tokyo on March 30, 2024. Pre-season testing will take place in Valencia on Oct. 23-27, before the opening round of the championship in Mexico City on Jan. 13, 2024.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’re delighted to announce Oliver Rowland and Sacha Fenestraz as the Nissan Formula E Team drivers for Season 10. We’re very happy to welcome Oliver back, we know his talent and experience and we’re sure he will contribute significantly to the future success of the team. He will complete a strong pairing with Sacha, who proved his raw talent since he joined. He’s shown to be excellent in qualifying and has huge potential to grow and become a major force in the championship. We’re continuing to work hard at the factory and with the drivers so we can be ready to attack the season straight away in Mexico City. It’s going to be our second year racing as Nissan Formula E Team in the series, we’ve learned a lot already and will look to make more positive steps on our Formula E journey.

“At the same time, we also want to wholeheartedly thank Norman Nato for all his hard work and efforts throughout Season 9. Without him and his strong performance during the final few races of the year, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve our final position in the teams’ standings. It has been a pleasure to work with Norman, and we wish him all the best for his future career.”

Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m really excited, it’s a bit of a homecoming for me, back to the place I started my Formula E journey and somewhere I had a lot of success. The team has been on a great trajectory over the last year, with performances improving. I’m confident Sacha and I will make a strong pairing, he showed incredible speed in his first season. I’m looking forward to getting back to work, ready to go and can’t wait to see what we can do as a team.”

Sacha Fenestraz, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m extremely excited to continue my journey with Nissan Formula E Team. I’ll attack this season with a new approach as it will be my second year in the championship, so we’re aiming to hit the ground running immediately. I’m looking forward to building on our strong maiden year together and fighting for positive results throughout the season. I’m also very happy to welcome Oli back to the team. He knows most of the crew so I’m sure he will settle in really quickly and we can work well together to help the team move forwards. I can’t wait to be back on track soon and hoping for another great year together with Nissan!”

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About Nissan in Formula E
Nissan made its all-electric racing debut in Season 5 (2018/19) of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, becoming the first and only Japanese manufacturer to enter the series.

In Season 7 (2020/21), Nissan announced its long-term involvement in Formula E and its commitment to the Gen3 era, which will run from Season 9 (2022/23) through to the end of Season 12 (2025/26) of the all-electric racing series.

In April 2022, Nissan acquired the e.dams race team, with the Japanese automaker taking full ownership of its involvement in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

In June 2022, Nissan announced it would supply its Nissan EV powertrain technology to McLaren Racing for the entirety of the Formula E Gen3 era.

For Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E drivers will be Oliver Rowland and Sacha Fenestraz.

Nissan races in Formula E to bring the excitement and fun of zero-emission electric vehicles to a global audience. As part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations and the life cycle of its products by 2050, Nissan intends to electrify every all-new vehicle offering by the early 2030s in key markets. The Japanese automaker aims to bring its expertise in transferring knowledge and technology between the racetrack and road for better electric vehicles for customers.

About Formula E
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship became the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint from inception back in 2020, having invested in certified climate-protecting projects in all race markets to offset emissions from every season of electric racing.

All cars in the championship are powered by electricity, with the series acting as a competitive platform to test and develop the latest in electric technology.

The World's greatest manufacturers race against each other on street circuits and Formula E promotes the adoption of sustainable mobility in city centres in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.