Nissan Formula E Team scores third podium of Season 12 in Jeddah

Manal Saleh

In the opening race of the weekend on Friday, Norman Nato qualified well, reaching the semi-final stage, while teammate Rowland missed out on the Duels. Starting fourth, Nato led for multiple laps ahead of his Pit Boost stop, but lost places later in the race against rivals in Attack Mode and crossed the line 13th. Meanwhile, Rowland was unable to make progress from 16th on the grid, with the current World Champion coming home 17th.

In the second race of the double-header on Saturday, a better qualifying performance for Rowland saw him line-up fourth in his 100th Formula E start, while Nato was unfortunate to miss out on the Duels in a very tight session. Starting on the second row, Rowland led in the early stages of the E-Prix, consistently running towards the front and managing his energy efficiently. He then moved into the top three during his final six-minute Attack Mode and secured third place. On the other side of the garage, Nato was unable to advance through the field from 15th, eventually crossing the line in 17th.

Formula E now heads to Madrid on 20-21 March for a maiden race weekend at Circuito del Jarama.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’re pleased to get a podium this evening with Oli after a difficult day yesterday. We struggled in Round 4 on Friday, even if Norman did a great job in qualifying to make it to the semi-finals in the Duels, but both drivers lacked pace and found it tough in the race. We worked hard overnight to find the issues and Oli immediately felt better in the car, qualifying fourth and putting together a strong race to secure third. On Norman’s side, he missed out on advancing to the Duels in an incredibly competitive qualifying group, and at this track it is very difficult to recover when you’re in the pack. The team worked tirelessly and did an amazing job to ensure we could achieve this podium today, and I am proud of how they reacted and managed to turn things around. It’s been a challenging weekend, but it’s great to end it with a trophy as we head to Madrid.”

Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “Friday was a tough day for us, I clipped the wall in FP2 and then we lacked pace in qualifying, which made for a difficult race. The team worked really hard overnight to make adjustments to the car and it paid off today as we lined up fourth on the grid. I took up the lead in the opening stages to stay out of trouble as these peloton-style events can be dangerous when further back. It was a well-managed race and it’s great to be back on the podium. A huge thanks to the team for their dedication which made this result possible.”

Norman Nato, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m frustrated to leave Jeddah with no points, after we had a positive start to the double-header in qualifying yesterday. I felt good in the car and led comfortably for several laps, but a technical issue affected our pace and we dropped down the order in the second half of the event. Today, we narrowly missed out on the Duels in a tight qualifying, and in the race it was very difficult to move forward with everyone being so closely-matched. It’s disappointing as I think we could’ve achieved more. However, that’s just the way it goes sometimes in motorsport and now the focus is on improving and preparing for the next race in Madrid.”

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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.

On 28th March 2024, ahead of the first ever Tokyo E-Prix, Nissan announced its long term commitment to Formula E, becoming the first manufacturer to sign up for the GEN4 era, which runs until 2030, reinforcing its pledge to its Ambition 2030 electrification targets.

Season 11 (2024/25) saw Nissan Formula E Team secure the Drivers’ World Championship with Oliver Rowland as the Brit took seven podiums, including four victories, and three pole positions, winning the title with two races to go.

For Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E Team drivers are Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato.

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.

More information

Global.NissanNews.com/FormulaEPressKit

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 centers in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.