With a discreet qualifying that placed them in ninth place in the standings, the Nissan team has decided to completely overhaul its driver grid ahead of the third generation (Gen3) era of Formula E, which will bring with it one of the newest cars in zero-emission motorsport.
Sebastien Buemi‘s fifteenth place and Maximilian Guenther‘s nineteenth place seem to be enough reasons for the team to make a move and announce Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz as the new drivers at the wheel of their cars.
Nato has already tasted the sweetness of victory in Formula E during season 6 in Berlin. After participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2022, the Japanese will return full time, noting that he closed a brief foray in Seoul for the injured Sam Bird.
“I am very happy to return as a full-time driver in Formula E with Nissan,” Nato said in statements reviewed by the official website of the electric series.
“The Gen3 era will be a new chapter for the championship, and I’m excited. The hard work starts now: I have a lot to learn and areas to develop with the team to be at my best for the first round of Season 9 in Mexico City,” added Nato.
A Hopeful Debut
On Fenestraz’s side, next season will mark his first full-time campaign in Formula E, following his debut in the final round of Season 8 at DRAGON / PENSKE, replacing Antonio Giovinazzi, who also missed the second race due to physical problems.
The French-Argentinean racer won the Japanese Formula 3 title in 2019 and continues to compete in both Super Formula, as well as in the GT500 class. So far in 2022, the 23-year-old has claimed victory in both tournaments and currently leads the Super GT standings.
He assured that his arrival in the series is a dream come true and represents a big step forward in his career. “It’s going to be a different challenge for me, as it will be my first season in an all-electric car. I’m excited to compete in this championship, as street circuits are my favorite, with lots of risks and no margin for error.”
He noted that as a rookie in a new format he must prepare hard to not disappoint the trust that Nissan executives have placed in him.
Nissan believes that this move marks a new era for the team, which is confident that through a combination of experience and the opportunity to nurture new talent, represents the right balance to compete in the new Formula E project.
Despite the poor results, the franchise extended words of thanks to Buemi and Guenter, who gave their best effort representing Nissan‘s colors.
