Credit: Joe Portlock courtesy of FIA Formula E
The Nissan Formula E Team have finally confirmed that Oliver Rowland will be returning to the team in season 10, to replace the outgoing Norman Nato.
Rowland returns to his former side having left Mahindra Racing halfway through season nine, after reportedly becoming unhappy with the uncompetitiveness of the Indian manufacturer’s powertrain. The British driver was a wanted man by a couple of teams, but it’s a return to the Japanese manufacturer for the 31-year-old.
It was between him and axed AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries for Nato’s seat, with the Frenchman having been informed that his services weren’t required for 2024 ahead of the Rome E-Prix, where he just so happened to claim the side’s first podium as an official Formula E manufacturer.
Rowland’s past with the Japanese outfit gave him the edge over the season seven World Champion, whilst Sacha Fenestraz has been retained for a second season. The former Mahindra driver enjoyed a lot of success during his three-year stint with Nissan, which spanned from season five to season seven.
In his previous three-year spell with the team, Rowland claimed one win, four pole positions and a further four podiums. Nissan will be keen for him to bring that pace with him. A change of scenery was needed for Rowland, who clearly wasn’t happy with being a regular backmarker at Mahindra.
Returning to where he really started his “Formula E journey” should inject some belief and confidence back into Rowland, who is convinced that himself and Fenestraz “make a strong pairing”.
“I’m really excited, it’s a bit of a homecoming for me, back to the place I started my Formula E journey and somewhere I had a lot of success,” Rowland said.
“The team has been on a great trajectory over the last year, with performances improving. I’m confident Sacha and I will make a strong pairing, he showed incredible speed in his first season. I’m looking forward to getting back to work, ready to go and can’t wait to see what we can do as a team.”
Nissan are actually one of the first teams to confirm their complete driver line-up, with plenty of decisions still being made up and down the paddock. Nissan already know Rowland very well and are more than aware of his “talent and experience”, which makes him a perfect replacement for Nato.
Rowland’s speed and experience should prove to be a good test for Fenestraz, who arguably needs to convert his strong pace into more top 10 finishes in 2024. Despite often being towards the top in qualifying last season, Fenestraz finished in the points just four times.
Despite perhaps not scoring as many points as he should’ve done, Nissan Team Principal Tommaso Volpe recognises that the young Frenchman has “huge potential to grow”, something Rowland’s experience should support. Volpe is also “delighted” to welcome their former driver back to the team.
“We’re delighted to announce Oliver Rowland and Sacha Fenestraz as the Nissan Formula E Team drivers for Season 10,” Volpe said.
“We’re very happy to welcome Oliver back, we know his talent and experience and we’re sure he will contribute significantly to the future success of the team. He will complete a strong pairing with Sacha, who proved his raw talent since he joined.
“He’s shown to be excellent in qualifying and has huge potential to grow and become a major force in the championship. We’re continuing to work hard at the factory and with the drivers so we can be ready to attack the season straight away in Mexico City.
“It’s going to be our second year racing as Nissan Formula E Team in the series, we’ve learned a lot already and will look to make more positive steps on our Formula E journey.”
Keyword: Rowland returns to Nissan as Nato departs