Norman Nato will return to the Nissan Formula E Team for the 2024-2025 season, replacing Sacha Fenestraz.
The Frenchman returned to the Japanese manufacturer after only one season with the Andretti team, during which he managed only one podium in Shanghai and finished fifteenth within the drivers' championship. His place on the American team was taken by Nico Muller.
The 32-year-old previously raced for Nissan within the 2022-23 season and finished the campaign on a robust note, scoring six points in a row, including a podium place in Rome.
Oliver Rowland will now be partnered by Nato for the beginning of the Gen3 Evo era; the Briton took two victories last season to maneuver as much as fourth within the Drivers’ Championship and into the title hunt.
“I’m really happy to be back in the team. We finished Season 9 together and I want to continue where we left off,” said Nato. “We’ll be aiming for an instantaneous performance, so the undeniable fact that I do know the automobile and the team can be helpful.
“Oli proved how briskly he’s last season, we've been fighting on course since Formula Renault 2.0 but we've never been team-mates. I'm sure we'll take to each other and hopefully we are able to share a podium.
“It can be interesting to see how the automobile has improved, and the goal is evident. We need to win races and championships.
Norman Nato, Andretti Global, Porsche 99X Electric Gen3
Photo: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
“Finally, I wish Sacha all the best, he's a great guy and it's never easy to replace someone you've worked with before. I'm sure we'll be racing again soon.”
Fenestraz spent two seasons with Nissan but struggled in his second season against Rowland, achieving a best results of just fifth and ending just seventeenth within the standings.
The French-Argentine driver confirmed to Motorsport.com earlier this month that he had been sacked by Nissan, despite the team assuring him that he would remain with the team until the tip of his contract 12 months.
This leaves the 25-year-old with little time to seek out another starting spot, with only the second spot alongside Lucas di Grassi at Abt and each spots at ERT and Envision yet to be confirmed.
Tommaso Volpe, Team Principal, Nissan, said: “We have refreshed our driver line-up by welcoming back Norman, who brings a wealth of experience and performance. Norman knows the team well and has shown his talent during his previous time with us. His feedback and insights are helpful and he has a background in automobile development, so we’re delighted that he’s returning.
“At the same time, although it was not an easy decision, we must say goodbye to Sacha. He was a fundamental part of the creation and development of the Nissan Formula E team and we thank him for his hard work and always positive attitude. We are proud to have grown with him and wish him all the best in his future career.”
