Nissan Formula E Team end difficult Monaco E-Prix opener without points
Nissan Formula E Team endured a challenging opening race of the Monaco E-Prix double-header. Both Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato missed out on points during Round 9 of the FIA Formula E World Championship.
A difficult qualifying session left Nissan Formula E Team on the back foot from the start. Rowland lined up 12th, while Nato qualified 14th after both drivers narrowly missed out on progressing to the Duels.
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Difficult Monaco E-Prix Opener for Nissan Formula E Team
Despite starting outside the top 10, Rowland managed his energy effectively in the opening stages and worked his way forward.
However, his progress came to an abrupt halt when contact ahead resulted in a puncture. The Brit had to to pit before completing his mandatory Pit Boost stop later in the race.
Although Rowland showed encouraging pace after rejoining, the lost time proved costly and he crossed the line in 15th position. After showing strong pace throughout the Monaco weekend, the result did not reflect the Nissan Formula E Team’s potential.
After receiving a drive-through penalty for a tyre pressure infringement, Nato’s race had to be compromised early.
The penalty significantly impacted his strategy and left the French driver unable to recover ground, eventually finishing 14th.
Tommaso Volpe reflects on Monaco opener
Despite the disappointing result, Nissan Team Principal and Managing Director Tommaso Volpe highlighted several positives from the race.
“It wasn’t the easiest day for us. Qualifying was difficult and, even though the race pace we showed was solid, both drivers were unfortunate during the event. Oli suffered a puncture and Norman had to serve a drive-through penalty, which compromised both of their strategies.”
“It’s a disappointing result but we are happy with the efficiency we had in some parts of the race, which gives us the confidence that if we qualify better tomorrow, we can achieve a good result.”
Drivers confident Nissan Formula E Team can rebound
Rowland believed qualifying ultimately shaped his difficult afternoon in Monaco.
“Qualifying was tricky as I struggled with the balance and I couldn’t quite get the tyres in the correct window. I also touched the barrier on the exit of the last corner, which potentially cost me a chance of advancing to the Duels.”
“We saved energy well during the race, but two cars in front of me collided and I had nowhere to go, leading to the puncture. The pace we showed at some stages of the E-Prix today was good and I think tomorrow we can achieve a positive result if we manage to put all the elements together.”
Nato echoed his teammate’s view, pointing to qualifying and the early penalty as key factors behind his result.
“We struggled in qualifying with both cars, meaning I started 14th. Unfortunately, the early drive-through penalty compromised our race as we were too far back to make any real progress.”
“If we can qualify better tomorrow, then scoring points is a real possibility, but it’ll be crucial to not be caught up in the pack and save energy efficiently.”
Following Round 9, Nissan Formula E Team sits fourth in the Teams’ Championship on 94 points. It stands fifth in the Manufacturers’ Championship on 117 points.
Rowland remains fourth in the Drivers’ Championship with 83 points, while Nato occupies 17th place with 11 points.
The team returns to action on Sunday for Round 10 of the Monaco E-Prix double-header. The team is aiming to convert its encouraging race pace into a stronger result.
