Squad set for maiden outing with Season 9 car and drivers in Valencia
YOKOHAMA, Japan (15 December 2022) – Nissan Formula E Team is set to debut its Gen3 car this week at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 9 pre-season test at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
The squad, racing as one entity for the first time in Formula E, recently revealed its striking new livery in Madrid. The bold design features a cherry blossom pattern, a nod to the team’s Japanese DNA while also representing new beginnings.
With the arrival of drivers Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz, the 2022/23 campaign marks a fresh start for Nissan Formula E Team, which will also run under its new name for the first time in the upcoming season. The team has looked to blend experience with youth by signing Formula E race winner Nato and Super Formula runner-up Fenestraz, who will compete in the #17 and #23 cars respectively.
Pre-season testing will also be the first time the Nissan-powered NEOM McLaren Formula E Team runs in an official Formula E session. Earlier this year, Nissan and McLaren signed a partnership that will see the British team run the Nissan powertrain for the entirety of the Gen3 era.
The test begins on Tuesday 13 December and runs until Friday 16 December, with Thursday 15 December set as a designated media day, with no on-track running scheduled.
“We are very excited for the test in Valencia,” said Tommaso Volpe, managing director, Nissan Formula E Team. “It’s the first time all the teams get together with their Gen3 cars. The level of innovation is a massive step up from the Gen2 powertrains so it presents us with a very different challenge. We’ve got two new drivers and the team has also been through some changes, so we’ll be looking to work as a unit from the first day to find the best setup and learn about our car. We’ve been preparing as best we can and we’re looking forward to seeing the car on track in an official session for the first time.”
Driver Quotes
Norman Nato
“Testing is always a great moment ahead of a new season and we’re all looking forward to seeing the new car in action. We’ll aim to continue what we’ve been doing in recent months, preparing as best we can for the campaign. Being fastest in Valencia is not a target for us, we’re fully concentrated on getting ready for Mexico in January. It’s not been long since the end of last season, but we’ve been really busy in the factory and I can’t wait to get out on track in the new car in Valencia.”
Sacha Fenestraz
“We’ve been working very hard to be ready for this test and now it’s almost here, I’m really excited. It’s a big step in my career and I can’t wait to drive the car in Valencia and see where we stand ahead of the new season. Mexico is coming around quickly so we need to stay focused and make sure we are in the best possible position for the first race.”
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 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E drivers will be Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz.
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.