Nissan Formula E Team looks ahead to maiden Hyderabad E-Prix
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Formula E Team is set to tackle Round 4 of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with the series travelling to India for the first of four brand-new venues in Season 9.
Following Sacha Fenestraz’s points finish in Round 3, both he and teammate Norman Nato look to build on the progress made in Diriyah, with the team targeting a double-points finish.
A brand-new track brings specific challenges for teams and drivers, with no previous data or experience to rely on. The 2.83-kilometer layout features flat-out corners and heavy braking zones, with excellent overtaking opportunities at Turns 1 and 3. The first sector is situated on the shores of Hussain Sagar lake, with views of its giant Buddha statue acting as a beautiful backdrop to the racing.
Drivers and teams will also be challenged by the hot and humid weather, with the Gen3 cars set to experience these conditions for the first time this weekend.
“It’s always more difficult when we visit a new circuit,” said Tommaso Volpe, managing director, Nissan Formula E Team. “There are many unknowns, so we’ve been working hard in the simulator to know what to expect when we arrive. It’s all about finding the small gains that can help us when it comes to race day. Based on Mexico and Diriyah, we know we have a good car and we can see where we need to improve. It’s clear that qualifying is extremely tight so we’ll be aiming for strong lap times to give us more chances of scoring points with both cars. Our race pace in Diriyah gave us confidence – we know what we’re capable of, but we have to take our performance on track to the next level.”
Qualifying at the Hyderabad Street Circuit begins at 10:40 IST (UTC +5:30), with the race underway at 15:00 IST on Saturday 11 February. Find out how to watch the event here.
Driver Quotes
Sacha Fenestraz
“I’m really excited about heading to Hyderabad. None of the drivers have raced here before, so it levels the playing field a bit for me as a rookie. I’m improving and learning at every race, getting accustomed to energy and tire management. I was pleased with the points in Diriyah, the signs have been good since the beginning of the season so we’re hoping to keep progressing and find the consistency needed to succeed in this championship. We’ve been putting in the hours to be ready for the race, getting used to the track in the simulator, so hopefully we can hit the ground running.”
Norman Nato
“It’s always exciting to go to a new venue and discover a new track, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend. We made a lot of progress in Diriyah, Sacha did a great job to score our first points of the season and now we need to build on that to fight towards the front of the field. It’s really tight between the teams this year, but we know where we have to improve. It’s going to be hot and humid, so it will be interesting to see how it impacts the Gen3 cars. Physically it will be difficult due to the conditions, but we know what our targets are and it’s up to us to go there and achieve it.”
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.