Nissan Formula E Team Aiming To Build Momentum In Cape Town

Nissan Formula E Team is set to tackle Round 5 of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship this weekend, with the series travelling to South Africa for the country’s first ever E-Prix.

Both drivers showed very good pace last time out in Hyderabad, with Norman Nato scoring good points despite a puncture and Sacha Fenestraz fighting for the podium, giving the team belief heading into the second brand-new event of Season 9.

The 2.94-kilometre Cape Town Street Circuit flows through the city’s Waterfront and Green Point districts. It’s expected that the 12-turn track will be one of the fastest on the calendar, so there will be no room for error as the drivers dash down Mouille Point’s oceanfront Beach Road.

“This new venue in Cape Town will be very challenging and demanding for both the drivers and the cars,” said Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team. “From our work in the simulator we know it will be very fast, even faster than Hyderabad, so any mistake could have major consequences. In India we managed to put together an entire weekend very well, although we didn’t get the results we expected due some bad luck, especially with Sacha. So now the team has extra motivation to fight for points with both cars in South Africa.”

Qualifying in Cape Town begins at 11:40 SAST (UTC +2) with the race getting underway at 16:00 SAST on Saturday 25 February. Find out how to watch here.

Sacha Fenestraz

“It’s going to be a very interesting track, it’s set to be the fastest of the season. Overtaking looks like it will be tough, which makes qualifying extra important this weekend. Our pace in the last two races has been getting stronger and obviously we were very unfortunate in Hyderabad. We’ve been improving throughout each event this season, so we’ve got a good chance to score plenty of points in Cape Town. The high speed corners will make it challenging, but being a brand-new track it also gives me confidence as a rookie, as once again nobody has driven here before. I’m looking forward to the weekend and hopefully we can achieve a positive result!”

Norman Nato

“Cape Town is a brand-new track on the calendar and it is expected to be the fastest of the season, so it will be challenging to put a lap together with all the high-speed sections and the bumps. We’ve scored points in the last two races and are continuing to improve as a team, but we are hungry for more. Taking a step forward and scoring with both cars is the target so we’ve been working hard in the simulator to optimize our performance.”

More information

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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.

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.

Source – Nissan