Rowland claims P3 and P2 over the E-Prixs while Nato scores top five finish on Sunday
Nissan Formula E Team enjoyed a strong Berlin double-header as Oliver Rowland picked up podiums in both Round 7 and 8 of the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, with Norman Nato crossing the line fifth during today’s race.
For Round 7 on Saturday, reigning Formula E Drivers’ World Champion Rowland showed positive one-lap pace in qualifying, making it to the semi-final stage of the Duels and lining up third on the grid. Meanwhile, teammate Nato missed out on the top four in his group by just over two-tenths of a second, meaning he would begin the E-Prix in 20th.
Rowland made a good start to the race and remained in the front group throughout the opening exchanges, moving into the lead before coming in for his Pit Boost stop at the end of Lap 25. The Brit kept up his strong speed to the end, taking Attack Mode late on and challenging for second, before settling for third and earning his fourth podium finish in seven races.
On the other side of the garage, Nato opted to take an early Attack Mode just after his Pit Boost stop, moving up the field before eventually crossing the line in 18th.
The mechanics and engineers carried out extensive overnight preparation for Round 8 on Sunday, which saw the team opt for a bold strategy to save tires in qualifying and start at the back. This allowed the duo to conserve energy in the opening laps of the race and make their way through the field later on.
The strategy paid off as, after starting 18th and 16th respectively, Rowland and Nato moved their way into the front pack as the race approached halfway. Both spent time leading, ahead of taking their final Attack Mode activations late on and pushing to the end.
Rowland challenged the leader in the final laps, crossing the line in second and taking the bonus point for the fastest lap, while a late Full Course Yellow prevented Nato from continuing a charge that had already seen him gain several positions, meaning he would take the flag in fifth.
Formula E returns in two weeks’ time when the series travels to Monaco for the double-header on 15-17 May.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We came to Berlin determined to turn things around after a few tough races and we managed to do so, securing a strong haul of points across both E-Prixs. On Saturday, our hard work over the break paid off as Oli qualified well and then put together a really good race to maximize our performance.
Today the team achieved a very positive result. The strategy was perfect and our drivers gave great performances, starting from the back and working their way through the field brilliantly. The pace was strong and both
Oli and Norman were happy with the car, so we’ve made a step forward. We’re pleased to see that all the hard work that the team did during the break paid off, and with Monaco coming soon we’re determined to make the most of the opportunity to build some momentum for the remainder of the season.”
Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m delighted to have taken a podium during both rounds of the double-header. One-lap pace hasn’t been my strength this year so on Saturday I was pleased to line up third. We had a smart race; I worked well with cars around me and stayed out longer than others as I had slipstream from those who had already come in for their stop.
On Sunday, we took a bold strategy decision to not take new tires in qualifying, instead saving them for the race. We conserved energy well in the opening laps and then it was a case of deciding when to push. Both Norman and I went to the front and competed well, I think we had the pace to win today but we couldn’t quite get it done. Despite that, I’m really happy with the weekend and to stand on the podium on both days is a great sign.”
Norman Nato, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “It was a tough start to the weekend as we didn’t get the correct set-up on Saturday, which cost us both in qualifying and the first race. We knew coming into today we had to improve and the whole team worked hard overnight to make sure the car performed better.
The mechanics and engineers put in a lot of time and effort to find and fix the issues, and I felt good immediately in FP3, which gave me a lot of confidence for the race. We had a solid E-Prix, saving energy when needed and pushing at the right time. It’s not easy to put two cars in the top five in Formula E this season, so this result is a huge positive. Thanks to the team for their work and I’m now excited for Monaco!”
