Nissan Formula E Team’s Oliver Rowland delivered an outstanding performance in Round 4 of the 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Jeddah, securing a dominant victory that catapulted him to the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings.
Rowland rises in the standings
Rowland’s performance in Jeddah not only saw him secure the victory, but it also propelled him to the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings with 68 points, leapfrogging his competitors.
He concluded:
“I’m so happy to have taken another victory with a great performance in Jeddah. Qualifying second was great, I dropped back early and made the most of the slipstream to save some energy which was the perfect scenario. At times it was getting a bit aggressive in the pack, so I chose those moments to get to the front and stay out of trouble.
“Our strategy with Attack Mode was perfect and it ensured I was able to extend a gap at the front for a smooth finish. The car was fantastic all weekend, they were two very different races but we performed strongly on both days. It’s amazing to be leading all three championships but our focus is on taking it race-by-race and doing our best to be in a good position at the end of the season.”
What happened to Nissan in Jeddah?
The result has been a significant boost for the Nissan Formula E Team, who now find themselves at the head of the Teams’ standings, with the squad also leading the Manufacturers’ Championship by 47 points, thanks to podium finishes in both races. Rowland’s victory and consistency across the weekend helped secure a crucial advantage for Nissan in what promises to be a highly competitive season.
Despite a challenging race for his teammate, Norman Nato, who started from 10th, Rowland’s success added another positive chapter to Nissan’s Jeddah campaign. Nato made some early progress but found himself losing positions in the Attack Mode phase. With a tightly packed field and limited energy to push in the closing laps, Nato crossed the line in 15th, unable to make the late charge he had hoped for.
Meanwhile, earlier in the week, Gabriele Minì joined the team for the rookie-only FP0 session, further bolstering Nissan’s preparations. The Italian, who will be racing in Formula 2 in 2025, previously made his Formula E debut with Nissan last season in Berlin and used the session to gather valuable data for the team. Minì finished the session with the second-fastest time, providing useful insights ahead of the race weekend.
Where is this leading to?
Reflecting on his triumph, Rowland explained the key moments of the weekend.
After race one Rowland said:
“We had a plan before the race and we executed it pretty well. I’m a little bit disappointed because when I had such a gap, if I’d under consumed a bit, I’d have had enough energy to defend from Max [Guenther]. He caught me napping a little bit, and I couldn’t do much in the last corner.”
After his second race in Jeddah Rowland stated:
“It was great – the key was at the beginning, obviously. It was pretty much the perfect scenario. I had a little bit of contact with Guenther at the chicane, he got really aggressive on the inside and I got stuck on him.
“That’s the point when I went to the front – being third or fourth, people start to get aggressive so I got out of trouble and went to the front and led from there. I’m just trying to focus race by race, try and do the best job we can and score points.”
With the win and a strong start to the season, Rowland is in the perfect position to mount a serious challenge for the championship. As the Formula E season progresses, all eyes will be on the Nissan Formula E Team to see if they can maintain this momentum and continue their dominance in the 2024/25 season.
