Nissan Formula E Team headed to Miami aiming to build on a strong start to the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. After the series’ return to the city last season, Round 3 was set to break new ground at the all-new Miami International Autodrome. Reigning Season 11 champion Oliver Rowland arrived with momentum following podium finishes in São Paulo and Mexico City, while Norman Nato looked to convert encouraging early pace into points on a circuit where he had already impressed. The weekend is set to begin on Friday with Rookie Free Practice, as Abbi Pulling and Gabriele Minì were set to gather vital data ahead of the team’s first competitive running at the venue.
Volpe sets sights on strong Formula E Miami weekend and continued momentum from Nissan
Team principal Tommaso Volpe underlined the importance of the event, highlighting both the sporting and strategic value of returning to the United States. He pointed to Nissan’s strong links with the American market and stressed the team’s ambition to entertain the local fans while building on its encouraging results from São Paulo and Mexico City. With a new circuit presenting a very different challenge, Volpe emphasised the need for a productive weekend and solid points from both cars, while noting that the Rookie Free Practice running with Pulling and Minì would play a key role in understanding the layout and refining the set-up ahead of qualifying and the race.
“We’re delighted to be heading back to Miami and to be taking on a brand-new track for Round 3 of the season. The United States is an important market for Nissan, so we’re delighted to be back racing in the country and will aim to put on a great show for our American fans. We’ve started well in São Paulo and Mexico City, so our target is to continue on this positive trend and to score strong points with both cars. The Rookie Free Practice session with Abbi and Gabriele will be very useful, allowing us to understand the new circuit before Oli and Norman jump in the cars. It’s a very different track to the previous two, so we need to ensure we make the most of practice and have the correct set-up ahead of qualifying and the race.”
Rowland targets qualifying gains as Miami presents new challenge
Oliver Rowland reflected on a strong opening to his title defence, having secured podium finishes in the first two races of the season. He acknowledged the intensity of the competition across the grid and stressed the importance of consistency at this early stage. The Brit highlighted the unique demands of the Miami circuit, with its short lap expected to create a very different race profile and reduce the emphasis on energy saving compared to the opening rounds. With overtaking likely to prove more challenging, Rowland placed extra focus on improving qualifying performance and welcomed the contribution of Pulling and Minì in Rookie Free Practice, as he set his sights on another podium finish on Saturday.
“Taking podiums in the opening two races has been a great way to start the season. The grid has proven to be incredibly competitive, so staying consistent will be really important at this stage. It’s a relatively short lap, which will bring its own challenges, and we’re expecting a much different race compared to São Paulo and Mexico City, with less energy saving. It will be great to have Abbi and Gabriele on track in Rookie Free Practice to help us, considering it’s a new track for Formula E. We’re hoping to make a step forward in qualifying, as overtaking is likely to be more difficult here, and I’ll be aiming for the podium on Saturday.”
Nato confident of converting pace into points in Miami
Norman Nato remained upbeat, despite his points tally not yet reflecting the team’s underlying pace. He expressed confidence in the car across both qualifying and race conditions and looked forward to returning to the United States, where he had consistently delivered solid results in the past. The Frenchman anticipated an intense weekend on the short Miami layout, with fine margins in qualifying and limited overtaking opportunities expected during the race, placing added emphasis on precision and capitalising on every chance to secure a strong result.
“I’m happy with the way we’ve been performing so far in Season 12, even though the standings don’t show how strong we are. I’m feeling really comfortable in the car in both qualifying and race conditions, and I’m excited to be heading to Miami. I have a good record of scoring points in the United States and I love the atmosphere of racing there. It’s a short track, meaning qualifying will be extremely tight. We’re also expecting a close race and overtaking to be tough, so we need to make the most of every opportunity to score a positive result.”
Bird anticipates high-grip, flat-out racing from Nissan at the Formula E Miami E Prix
Reserve and development driver Sam Bird welcomed the challenge of another new venue on the Formula E calendar, pointing to the high-grip nature of the Miami circuit and the close racing it was expected to produce. He suggested the layout could encourage peloton-style battles at the front of the field, placing a premium on nailing the set-up from the outset. With the race likely to run flat out, Bird highlighted the importance of track position and anticipated strong wheel-to-wheel action, particularly at the end of the back straight and into Turn 1.
“It’s exciting to be heading to another new track for the championship in Miami. The circuit has high levels of grip which should mean an intense battle at the sharp end of the field with some peloton racing also involved. The challenge will be getting the correct set-up in place for the event as it’ll be crucial to be towards the front when the race goes flat out. It should provide some great wheel-to-wheel racing with overtaking likely towards the end of the back straight as well as into Turn 1.”
Two-car Rookie session offers major advantage on new Miami circuit
Volpe also highlighted the significance of the expanded Rookie Free Practice format, viewing it as a valuable opportunity for the team. With Formula E allowing two cars to run in the Rookie Free Practice session in Miami for the first time, he stressed the importance of maximising track time on a brand-new circuit to gather as much data as possible for Nissan. Volpe underlined the benefit of continuity, noting that both Pulling and Minì were already familiar with the car and the team, allowing them to settle in quickly, complete their programmes efficiently and contribute meaningfully to preparations for Rowland and Nato later in the weekend.
“We’re pleased to continue working with Abbi [Pulling] and Gabriele [Minì] at the upcoming Rookie Free Practice session in Miami. It’s the first time Formula E has allowed teams to have two cars in FP0, so we wanted to maximize that opportunity. It’s a brand-new track, which means having as much data as possible will be massively helpful as we prepare for FP1 with Oli [Rowland] and Norman [Nato]. Both Abbi [Pulling] and Gabriele [Minì] know the car and are familiar with the team, so this continuity will be important for them to settle quickly and complete their programs, giving full benefit to the team and adding to their experience.”
Rookie session key as Pulling returns to Formula E action with Nissan in Miami
The chance to return to action in Miami with the Nissan Formula E Team was met with clear enthusiasm from Pulling, who continued to build confidence within the squad. The Rookie Free Practice session carried added importance as Formula E’s first official running at a brand-new circuit, placing a strong emphasis on data collection. With growing experience in the Nissan e-4ORCE 05 and extensive simulator work behind her, Pulling felt well prepared for the task, while her previous racing at the Miami International Autodrome provided a useful reference despite the revised layout. Her focus remained on executing the run plan and providing the team with a strong foundation for the rest of the weekend.
“It’s a pleasure to be back on-track with Nissan Formula E Team and I feel very fortunate to be working with such a great outfit. I’m delighted to be trusted with this Rookie Free Practice session as it’ll be the first official running at a brand-new circuit for Formula E, so data collection will be crucial. This is now my fourth outing in the Nissan e‑4ORCE 05 and, alongside my work in the simulator, I feel like I’ve now got a good understanding of the car. I’ve raced at Miami International Autodrome before in F1 Academy and, even though the track layout will be different, it will be a great spectacle across the weekend. My goal for the session is to fulfil my run plan to put the squad in a strong starting position to kick on for the rest of the event.”
Minì aims to build on previous Rookie pace in Miami
A return to Nissan Formula E Team in Miami marked another important step for Minì as he prepared to take part in Rookie Free Practice. The Italian was eager to get back behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evo car after productive outings in Jeddah and Berlin last season, where strong pace and valuable learning opportunities defined his sessions. With the Miami circuit new to the championship, Minì’s focus centred on maximising track time and gathering as much data as possible to support the team’s preparations across the weekend.
“It feels great to be back with Nissan Formula E Team in Miami for the Rookie Free Practice session. I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evo car following Jeddah and Berlin last year. We showed strong pace in both of those sessions and I learned a lot, so I’m aiming for more of the same this time around. The Miami track will be new for the teams, so the main goal of the session is to collect lots of data and information for the team to use throughout the weekend.”
