Twelve days after securing his first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Berlin, Nissan’s Oliver Rowland arrived at the final race weekend of the 2025 season with one title already in hand — but one still up for grabs. With the drivers’ crown wrapped up, attention now turns to helping his team push for the Teams’ Championship as the all-electric series heads into its season finale at the ExCeL London circuit.
Speaking to media, including Pit Debrief, at the ExCeL Centre on Friday, Rowland provided insight into his mindset following his championship win, the goals for Nissan in London, and his view on the unique challenges presented by the capital’s indoor-outdoor track.
Muted celebrations with focus on London E-Prix
After a strong season, albeit not one without its fair share of challenges and disappointments, Rowland, now a Formula E champion for the first time, reflected on his celebrations. Amid increased media attention, and the commitments associated with winning such a title, Rowland has had a busy two weeks. However, he admitted that while he has taken time to savour his success, his focus has been on the London E-Prix, and Nissan’s fight for the Teams’ Championship.
“I’m quite busy. Yeah lots of events and trying to celebrate a little bit the Championship, spending time with family. I’m also trying to prepare for this race, which is important for the team. So yeah, I wouldn’t say there’s been too many celebrations yet, but I guess that’s coming after this weekend.”
Pressure off, but still a job to do
With the fight for the Teams’ Championship now over, Rowland was asked about his mindset coming into the London E-Prix. Despite the fierce competition expected over the London E-Prix weekend, and the tricky nature of the ExCel Centre circuit, Rowland admits that this weekend presents him a rare chance to approach a race with more freedom and less tension.
“Yeah, I mean it’s going to be a little bit different. I definitely feel a bit lighter and a bit less pressure than at the last four races. The way I see it really is I’m going to come to probably one of the first races in my career where I can kind of relax and enjoy it.”
This lightness, however, does not mean complacency. With Nissan still pursuing the Teams’ Championship — with Porsche currently holding the lead — Rowland made clear that despite being slightly behind, the team is still aiming to fight for the title.
“In the Teams’ Championship I feel like really we’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. So we’re a little bit away from Porsche in the Teams’ Championship, but I still think it’s reachable so we’ll do our best. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but yeah, I’m seeing it as a bit of a challenge and looking forward to the weekend. Just looking forward to driving freely and hopefully I can do the job.”
Team strategy and the role of Qualifying
Rowland was also asked about the strategic approach for the London weekend, particularly the importance of qualifying well on a circuit where overtaking has traditionally been limited. The ExCeL layout’s narrow walls, frequent surface changes, and indoor-outdoor sections make track position especially valuable.
The Nissan driver explained that while the team has considered different scenarios using simulation tools, a definitive race plan can only truly take shape once qualifying is complete. Getting the car into a competitive window during free practice will be critical, but ultimately each driver must extract the maximum when it matters most.
“Yeah, I mean, honestly, we think about different permutations when we’re in the sim and you can only really plan on Saturday after Qualifying for the race. I think for Qualifying especially we’ll try and get the car in a good place throughout FP1 and FP2 and then it’s down to each individual to extract the most from the car and hopefully we can both do that in both sessions on Saturday and Sunday and then we’ll see what’s available on strategy but I think yeah as you said the priority is to try and get two cars at the front in both races because overtaking can be difficult here, not impossible.”
The fight to get forward
Despite the emphasis on starting near the front, Rowland remains optimistic that there will still be opportunities to move forward in the race, referencing his win from ninth on the grid at the same venue last season. With the updated attack mode and strategic tools introduced in Season 11, he believes the potential to fight through the pack remains strong.
“I think I won from ninth with a similar energy target last year so I don’t think it’s impossible with the new attack mode, probably even easier to move forward but yeah we’ll see on the weekend but at first we just have to try and get the car towards the front.”
Final thoughts on a unique circuit
As London’s time on the Formula E calendar draws to a close — with 2026 potentially the final year at the ExCeL Centre — Rowland was asked for his thoughts on a circuit that has consistently split opinion due to its unconventional layout and variable surface grip.
While the venue’s technical characteristics have challenged teams and drivers alike, Rowland spoke positively about the experience of pushing the car to its limits here — especially in qualifying.
“Yeah at least the weather’s good. The last five events we’ve had torrential rain on at least one of the days. So Sunday looks like it could be around but not too much. Honestly, I really like the track from a single lap perspective – getting close to the walls, having different tarmacs in and out. I think it’s a challenge for the drivers to get the most out of the car so I really like the track.”
He acknowledged that while the racecraft element can be more restrictive due to limited overtaking zones, the updated sporting regulations — including a more powerful attack mode and the recently introduced pit boost — could make the on-track action more dynamic.
“From a racing perspective it can be a little bit more difficult to pass but hopefully with the pit boost and the attack mode a bit more powerful this year it can make the races slightly more interesting but for me overall it’s one of the best tracks this season.”
Champion mentality to the very end
While Rowland may not be racing with the pressure of a title on the line this weekend, his attitude remains one of full commitment. He enters the final two races of the season with the same goal that defined his title-winning campaign: maximising results for himself and the team.
Nissan’s push for the Teams’ Championship may still depend on how events unfold across both races, but Rowland’s focus remains unchanged — deliver clean performances, extract the most from every session, and help the team end the season on a high.
