Nissan Formula E Team takes pole and podium at Diriyah E-Prix

Nissan Formula E Team opened their account in Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with an excellent display to score 26 points in Round 3 in Diriyah.

After a frustrating Friday, where Oliver Rowland finished 13th and Sacha Fenestraz retired with damage, the squad bounced back in style in the second event of the double-header.

Franco-Argentine Fenestraz took top spot in Qualifying Group A, with Rowland joining him in the Duels after setting the fastest time in Group B. While Fenestraz was knocked out in the quarter-finals, British racer Rowland earned victory in all three Duels, setting the quickest time at each stage and claiming the three points on offer for the Julius Baer Pole Position.

In the 36-lap race, under the Diriyah lights, Rowland lost a spot off the line, before being shuffled down to third in the Attack Mode phase. Despite this, he kept pace with the leaders and pressured for second place in the latter stages, eventually having to settle for third and a return to the podium in just his second race weekend back with the team.

Meanwhile, Fenestraz enjoyed a strong run, battling hard with those around him and joining the lead pack for the final laps, picking up his first points of the season in sixth.

Formula E now enters a seven-week break, returning for the São Paulo E-Prix on 16 March.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “Round 3 was a really good one for the team and a huge reward for all our hard work. Round 2 was frustrating, we didn’t have the pace to compete but we came back with a really strong car for the second race. 26 points is a great return and we’re hoping to capitalize on this in the following events. Both drivers were strong in qualifying, with Oli on pole and Sacha in P7, two good starting positions. In the race, Oli didn’t have the best start and after the Attack Mode period he ended up P3. He put a lot of pressure on the drivers in front towards the end, but was sensible and comfortably secured the podium. Sacha had good pace, making up a position and defending well from those behind to clinch sixth. To have two cars in the Duels, take pole position and finish with both Oli and Sacha in the top six shows the big step we’ve made as a team. We’ve got a break coming now before the next round, so we’ll keep working and look to replicate this performance in São Paulo.”

Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “It’s a great result for the team and gives us a lot of confidence for the season ahead. Round 2 was disappointing, but in Round 3 we regrouped and did an amazing job to take pole. It was unfortunate I couldn’t hold the lead off the line, I had a bit of wheelspin, but we’re still very happy with the podium. I came back to Nissan with the target of winning, we know there’s lots of work to do but we’ll keep pushing. The potential has been there since the start of the season and the step we made is a really important one and we’ll keep building up for São Paulo.”

Sacha Fenestraz, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “It was an up and down weekend, it was frustrating in terms of results but we managed to work a few things out and turned our pace around. We found a good setup, which was obvious in qualifying. Oli had amazing pace and fully deserved pole, without my mistake in the quarter final I think I could’ve joined him at the front. In the race I felt good with the car and it’s positive to come away with a solid points finish and for the team to pick up a trophy. We feel ready to tackle the rest of the season, we need to take this forward and be positive for the upcoming races. We’ll analyze these races with fresh minds in the break before São Paulo and look to do even better there.”

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Tammam Rayya

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