Both drivers qualify in the top-three as Fenestraz takes P4 on Monte-Carlo streets
MONTE-CARLO, Monaco (May 09, 2023) – Nissan Formula E Team showed great pace at the Monaco E-Prix, as both Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato lined up in the top-three on the grid, with Fenestraz taking a strong haul of points in the race, finishing fourth.
Nato, who sported a new helmet design that paid tribute to Jules Bianchi, topped Group A in qualifying, with Fenestraz just behind in second. When both were victorious in their quarter-final duel, the pair came up against each other in an all-Nissan semi-final, with Fenestraz progressing.
The Franco-Argentine racer initially took pole position with another great lap, but later had his time deleted for power overuse. Jake Hughes inherited pole position for NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, and with Frenchman Nato third, the grid featured an all-Nissan powertrain top-three.
After a chaotic opening to the race, Fenestraz found himself battling with the championship leaders for the podium, with Nato fighting for the lower points-paying positions. Fenestraz eventually ended the E-Prix in fourth, picking up 12 points, while Nato was involved in an incident and dropped to the back of the field.
Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returns early next month, as the series travels to Jakarta for a double-header on June 3-4.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We brought more car updates for this round and we’re delighted to see them impact positively on our pace. To have both cars in the top-three in qualifying is amazing and really encouraging for us going forwards. Sacha had a great race, he kept with the frontrunners throughout and brought home some very valuable points. Norman was unfortunate with the strategy and then the contact, but we can still be pleased with our performance overall. We’ll look to continue improving our race pace, and it’s great to see the team’s hunger for success.”
Sacha Fenestraz: “A really positive weekend overall, with a fantastic qualifying session. It might not officially be our pole but I see it as ours, as we set the fastest lap and only lost it due to an overuse of power. Still, we were very happy to be starting on the front row. Our strategy could have been a little bit better, but we’re pleased with our pace and to be back fighting at the front. We picked up a really strong haul of points today, the team is working hard and we’ll keep pushing for the rest of the season.”
Norman Nato: “I used my Monaco experience in qualifying, and I was delighted to top the group and progress to the Duels. I didn’t get to do a lap at 350kW in practice, so it was interesting and quite fun to experience. Sacha did a great job in the semi-final, but we were still happy with P3 and even more so to have both cars at the front. In the race, we lost a few places during the Attack Mode phase and then once we were in the middle of the pack, it made it difficult to regain positions. I then picked up some damage that ended our hopes of a top-10 finish, but we showed plenty of potential this weekend and we’re feeling encouraged for the rounds to come.”
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.
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.