Nissan has signed Norman Nato for his return to the team to partner Oliver Rowland for 2025 Formula E season.
Nissan Formula E Team will pair Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato for the 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, forming an experienced and competitive driver line-up. Following a fruitful partnership in the GEN2 era, Rowland enjoyed a strong Season 10 with the team. The British driver took two victories, including a home win in the final race of the year, in addition to two pole positions and five further podiums on his way to fourth in the standings.
Meanwhile, Formula E race winner Nato returns to the Japanese squad, having previously raced in cherry blossom during Season 9 (2022/23). The Frenchman was a regular in the points, securing the team’s first podium finish under full Nissan ownership at the 2023 Rome E-Prix.
The 2024/25 campaign will see the debut of the GEN3 Evo technology. The new machinery will be even quicker and more efficient than the cars used in Seasons 9 and 10. The calendar will also feature a record 17 races, including a first visit to Miami, a return to Jakarta, a double-header in Monaco and the second ever Tokyo E-Prix, Nissan Formula E Team’s home race.
Nissan Formula E Team will be back on track at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia for Pre-Season Testing on 4-7 November for the GEN3 Evo’s first official outing, ahead of the season opener in São Paulo on 7 December.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’re excited for Season 11 after a very good performance in the last campaign. We’ve refreshed our driver line-up by welcoming back Norman, who will bring his wealth of experience and performance. Norman knows the team well and showed his talent when he was previously with us.
“His feedback and insight are valuable and he has a track record of developing cars, so we are delighted to see him return. Oli had a fantastic Season 10, and we’re confident he can continue at that level. We believe that Norman and Oli will form a strong pairing, both are team players and will do their best to help us improve throughout the upcoming year.
“At the same time and while it hasn’t been an easy decision, we have to say goodbye to Sacha. He has been a fundamental part of the establishment and development of Nissan Formula E Team, and we thank him for his hard work and his ever positive attitude. We’re proud to have grown together with him, and wish him all the best for his future career.”
Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m excited to continue with Nissan Formula E Team after a very strong year. It’s been great to have some time off, I’ve been training and working with the team which has been positive. For next season we need to try and bring more consistency to all elements of our race weekends, whether that’s in qualifying or car development.
“Last year we executed some races perfectly, so for this season we have to maintain that progress and improve the small bits we can to continue moving further up the order. I’ve known Norman for a few years, he’s very experienced and knows the team well, and I’m looking forward to working together.
“The GEN3 Evo car will be a challenge for everyone on the grid, so it’s a chance for us to maximize our performance and start the season on the front foot. I also want to give my best to Sacha, I enjoyed working with him during Season 10 and hope to see him back on the grid soon.”
Norman Nato, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m really happy to be back with the team. We ended Season 9 strongly together and I’m looking to pick up where we left off. We will be aiming to perform straight away, so the fact I know the car and the team will be helpful. Oli proved how quick he is last season, we’ve been battling on track since Formula Renault 2.0 but never been teammates!
“I’m sure we will get along well and hopefully we can share some podiums together. It will be interesting to see how the car has improved, and the goal is clear. We want to win races and championships. Finally, I wish Sacha all the best, he’s a top guy and it’s never easy to replace someone you previously partnered with. I’m sure we will be racing each other again very soon.”
Here’s video: https://x.com/NISMO/status/1833762695725646193
https://x.com/NISMO/status/1833823206546743506
[Note: The story is as per press release]