Squad brings together exciting pairing, with Ghiotto also confirmed as simulator driver
YOKOHAMA, Japan (April 17, 2023) – Nissan Formula E Team will enter reigning FIA Formula 3 champion Victor Martins and multiple Formula 2 race-winner Luca Ghiotto into this month’s ABB FIA Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin.
28-year-old racer Ghiotto will take to the Tempelhof Airport Circuit, with the former GP3 Series runner-up also confirmed as simulator driver. The Italian has been working in the team’s simulator since the start of the current Formula E season and has a strong racing CV, including six wins in F2.
Frenchman Martins is part of the Alpine Academy – BWT Alpine F1 Team’s young driver programme – and has already taken two podiums and a pole position across the opening three rounds of his debut F2 season. The 21-year-old has impressed many during his junior career, winning the Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2020, before moving up to F3, where he took the 2022 crown.
The Formula E Rookie Test will take place in Berlin on 24 April.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’re really pleased to have Luca on board, he’s been working in the simulator since the beginning of the season so it made sense to give him an opportunity in the car. This will be valuable for the team as the test will benefit Luca in the simulator and give him plenty of experience to help us develop our performance. Victor is a young and promising driver and we’re pleased to be using our connections with the Alpine Academy and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. It’s great for the championship to be attracting rising stars like him – he’s making his F2 debut this year and is showing strong signs, so it was a natural choice for us to offer him a chance in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04.”
Luca Ghiotto: “I’m really excited to be part of the Nissan Formula E Team, in such an incredible championship. Nissan is a massive brand, which makes this even more special. I can’t wait to feel a Formula E car in real life for the first time. My job as simulator driver is to help the team by testing different settings and programs, as the on-track time in Formula E is quite limited, meaning our data from the simulator can be really important during race weekends. The Rookie Test will definitely aid my work at the factory, as I’ll have a reference and understanding of how the real car feels. So, on top of it being an exciting opportunity for me, it will also help for the next time I’m in the virtual world. The Berlin track looks really fun, I’ve driven it on the simulator and I’m looking forward to getting out there and experiencing it.”
Victor Martins: “It’s a huge honor to be selected for the Rookie Test with Nissan Formula E. The team has a close relationship with the Alpine Academy, which I’m a part of, and it’s a great chance for me to experience a Formula E car for the first time. I’ve already been in the simulator and found it really interesting, there’s a lot to learn and I have to use a different style of driving. It’s a great opportunity to keep expanding my skillset across different cars and I’m excited to give it a try. I’ll look to make the most of the test and learn as much as I can from the team and my time on track.”
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About Nissan in Formula E
Nissan made its all-electric racing debut in Season 5 (2018/19) of the Formula E, 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.