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Nissan Formula E Team is ready to take on Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with the first double-header of the Gen3 era to take place in Diriyah.
Following a promising start to the campaign in Mexico, where Sacha Fenestraz impressed by reaching the Duels in qualifying, he and teammate Norman Nato have their eyes set on points in Formula E’s only night races.
First held in Season 5, the Diriyah E-Prix went under the lights the following year and has since become a favorite for both fans and drivers. The 2.495-kilometer Riyadh Street Circuit is best known for the section between Turns 6 and 14, which is often compared to a bobsleigh run thanks to its downhill nature and fast, flowing corners, and is set to be even more spectacular this weekend with the faster Gen3 cars.
“I feel we grew as a team following the season opener in Mexico,” said Tommaso Volpe, managing director, Nissan Formula E Team. “Norman and Sacha already have a good connection with the engineers, and the technical team is also gaining a lot of knowledge on how to run the car in qualifying and the race. We’re still learning about the power unit and energy management, but that’s the same across the grid, so we’ll look to continue developing on that side. Diriyah will be a completely different challenge to Mexico, with the tight walls and dirty track surface. Sectors 1 and 2 are really fast and twisty, and it’s easy to make mistakes there because of the low-grip levels, which will be a big challenge, especially with the extra power we have this year. We believe we can score points this weekend – we had good pace in Mexico as Sacha proved in qualifying, so we’ll look to find that speed again with both drivers and put ourselves in a good position to come away with a strong result.”
As part of a three-year agreement, Petromin Nissan will be the team’s official Innovation Partner for the event. As Nissan’s authorized dealer in Saudi Arabia, this collaboration is designed to strengthen the relationship between Petromin Nissan and Nissan, displaying the commitment to innovation and customer service shared by the brands.
“This collaboration between Nissan Formula E Team and Petromin Nissan, one of our most important distributors in the Middle East, is further confirmation of how important our involvement in the sport is for Nissan as a corporation”, commented Volpe. “Our Formula E project not only promotes but also actively supports our corporate objectives in terms of electrification and sustainability – the two fundamental pillars of Formula E and key goals for both Nissan and Petromin Nissan.”
Driver Quotes
Sacha Fenestraz
“I’m really excited for Diriyah and the next event in this amazing championship. Even though we had some issues in Mexico and didn’t score points, we still showed what we are capable of in qualifying and in the race. Diriyah is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar – I’ve been working hard on the simulator and it’s a proper street track with tight walls and fast changes of direction. I’m feeling really upbeat following the first round, so I’m hoping to improve on our performance and use all the knowledge we picked up there. It will be challenging as it’s another new track for me, but it looks like a lot of fun and I can’t wait to get out there and give it my best.”
Norman Nato
“Diriyah is the first double-header of the season so we’re going to have to be mentally and physically ready for the challenge, as it’s tough for both drivers and teams. It’s also the only time we’ll race at night this season, which is really cool visually. After a tough start in Mexico, we’re aiming for a more positive weekend, as we know we have the potential in the team and the car to be in the top-10. The Diriyah track is a tough one, the grip levels are constantly changing, but it’s really fun and satisfying when you put together a good lap. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can come away from the weekend with some points.”