Formula E

Nissan Formula E Team continues Season 10 preparation with Valencia test

October 27, 2023

5 min Reading

Rowland and Fenestraz rack up plenty of laps at Circuit Ricardo Tormo

Nissan Formula E Team completed the pre-season test at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia as it continues to get set for the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Official drivers Sacha Fenestraz and the returning Oliver Rowland both settled back into the car, while simulator and development driver Luca Ghiotto and Alpine Academy member Victor Martins also had valuable track time on Tuesday morning.

Ghiotto and Martins set the base for the week, recording several laps and assisting the team by completing their respective programs successfully.

Following a delay to proceedings due to an incident on Tuesday after the first session, running resumed on Thursday afternoon, with Rowland and Fenestraz jumping in the #22 and #23 Nissan e-4ORCE 04 cars respectively. Working on set-up optimization and long run programs, both still managed to set encouraging lap times, with Rowland ending the day seventh on the timesheets.

To make up for lost time on Friday, teams and drivers were given an extra-long session, with British racer Rowland once again finishing in the top-10. Franco-Argentine Fenestraz meanwhile, completed a mammoth 122 laps and made some energy management progress as he prepares to kick off his second year with the squad.

Season 10 begins in Mexico City on January 13, 2024, with the campaign also set to feature the first ever race in Japan, when the Tokyo E-Prix takes place on March 30, 2024.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “It was a good week of testing, we were looking to improve the car, to work on the set-up and a few other factors, so we’re very happy with what we achieved. The week started well with Luca and Victor, it was great to have two drivers who are familiar with the team. They used their track time in a clever way, adapting to being back in the car before completing the rest of their respective programs, showing solid pace and doing everything the team asked of them.

“Oliver quickly showed why we brought him back, he was immediately on the pace and continued to settle in well with the squad. He had a good feeling with the car and it was as if he’d never been away! Sacha improved step-by-step through the test and worked really well on energy management, which will help him translate his natural pace into more results this season. Overall, it was a good week for us, we feel strong as a unit and in a better place compared to this time last year. We’re looking forward to arriving in Mexico City, it’s a great place to start the year so we’ll aim to begin the campaign on a positive note.”

Oliver Rowland

“It was a good test, we spent both days inside the top-10 so not a bad start at all. I was quickly up to speed and slotted straight back in with the team, which was very pleasing. We had a strict test schedule, tried set-ups that weren’t specific to Valencia, but we got what we wanted out of it. I was comfortable with the team and I’m hoping we can build on that ahead of Mexico City. The car is strong, we found the pace and I’m feeling optimistic ahead of the first race of the season.”

Sacha Fenestraz

“Testing went well, it was great to be back on track. I really missed the feeling of driving the car, trying to put together the perfect lap and it makes me look forward to Mexico City even more! We did a lot of set-up and energy management work, trying to learn as much as possible before the start of the new season. It was good to be able to compare myself to Oli and the rest of the field, although Valencia is a much different track to what we’ll face in Mexico City.”

Luca Ghiotto

“It was my third time in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 and my most enjoyable so far. It was great to be on track with the regular drivers, to judge my performance against theirs. Our pace was positive, especially considering it has been several months since my last outing. We tested several aspects of the car, completed our plan and put in plenty of laps. The experience will also continue to help me in my role in the simulator, to give more detailed feedback to make the sim become more accurate to real life. I had a great time in the car and I’m looking forward to implementing what I learned back in the factory.”

Victor Martins

“Everything went smoothly on Tuesday morning, with no mistakes or issues and plenty of time on track. I got back in the rhythm in the early stages as it’s been a long time since I last drove the car in Berlin, but once I re-familiarized myself we had a solid session. We completed our program and went through everything we wanted to do, and I’m very happy to have helped the team and provided some useful feedback. It was also good for me to be on track with the regular drivers, it gave me a great opportunity to compare myself to them. I’m very happy with the pace we had and enjoyed my time out there!”

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