Rowland and Nato aiming to kick off new campaign with strong points
YOKOHAMA, Japan (December 4, 2025) – Nissan Formula E Team is looking for a solid start to the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in São Paulo, Brazil, having completed a successful week of Pre-Season Testing in Valencia in October.
The event will mark Formula E’s fourth visit to Brazil, competing on the Anhembi Sambadrome, with the main straight situated on the location of the world-renowned Carnival of São Paulo, in the north of the city.
Drivers’ World Champion Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato will look to build on the learnings from previous races at this venue. Rowland finished on the podium at the São Paulo Street Circuit in the 2023/24 campaign, while both drivers showed excellent pace at the track last December, battling at the front of the field for the majority of the event before penalties denied the team points.
The 2.93-kilometre circuit is bumpy and high-speed with several heavy braking zones, challenging the drivers throughout the weekend and offering the best overtaking opportunities into Turns 1, 4 and 7. This year’s event is one lap shorter than in 2024, making for a faster race with less need for energy saving.
The race weekend will begin with Free Practice 1 on Friday at 23:30 (GST), ahead of the second practice session on Saturday morning at 14:30. Qualifying gets underway soon after at 16:40, before lights out for the opening race of the season at 21:05.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “The whole team is ready go racing again and build on what was a very positive Season 11. We know we must hit the ground running from FP1 in São Paulo as the Formula E grid is set to be even more competitive this year. We know we can do well at this circuit as we had great pace here last season, but every team now has a year’s worth of experience with the GEN3 Evo cars and the tires, which will tighten the field. Every move and every point could make a difference, so we’re striving for a smooth weekend without mistakes to start Season 12 on the front foot.”
Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m looking forward to being out on-track in Brazil and starting the new campaign as defending Drivers’ World Champion. It’s a new season so our focus is once again on maximizing our performance throughout as the field will be even tighter. I led the majority of the São Paulo E-Prix last year, of course there has been a lot of racing since then, but I will be aiming to fight at the front again to ensure a strong start to the new season.”
Norman Nato, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m excited to be back and ready to kick off the season in São Paulo. We prepared well at Pre-Season Testing, we were mainly working on improving our procedures and on some technical areas but we showed great speed on the final day to top the timesheets. It’s important to start the season well – it grows confidence within yourself and in the team, and it creates a good atmosphere around the garage.”
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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.
On 28th March 2024, ahead of the first ever Tokyo E-Prix, Nissan announced its long term commitment to Formula E, becoming the first manufacturer to sign up for the GEN4 era, which runs until 2030, reinforcing its pledge to its Ambition 2030 electrification targets.
Season 11 (2024/25) saw Nissan Formula E Team secure the Drivers’ World Championship with Oliver Rowland as the Brit took seven podiums, including four victories, and three pole positions, winning the title with two races to go.
For Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E Team drivers are Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato.
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 centers in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.