Nissan faced a significant setback in the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix as a systems control issue led to drive-through penalties for all four of its cars. Works Nissan driver Oliver Rowland was initially a dominant force, leading the early stages and efficiently managing energy targets. However, a penalty due to the systems control issue during the launch off the grid at the first restart cost the team the victory. Nissan team principal Tommaso Volpe expressed his disappointment, stating that they would address the issue urgently. The Race understands that the specific problem related to the power transition from the front to the rear powertrain tipped all Nissans over the legality threshold at different points. Rowland's team-mate Norman Nato and Nissan-powered McLaren drivers Taylor Barnard and Sam Bird all picked up penalties in the opening stages. Rowland looked in control of the race until a glitch occurred at the restart following the red flag caused by Jake Dennis's stranded Andretti Porsche. Volpe confirmed that it was the control systems during the start procedure that needed to be addressed. "For some reason we didn't spot this specific issue in all testing we have done so far. We'll address it," he said. The frustration was palpable as the team had shown great improvement on the track. Rowland rued his non-score for his eventual 14th place but rationalized it by highlighting the team's overall pace and efficiency. He felt that they would have likely beaten the Jaguars and Porsches in a straight fight.Another aspect that affected Rowland's race was the waste of his final two minutes of attack mode allocation due to the red flag. He was in a prime position to pull away and finish the race with the second attack mode but lost that advantage. On the restart, he had a good state-of-charge (SOC), but during his first start, he lifted too early and didn't reach the transition speed. This led to the same problem that affected the other Nissans on the second start.McLaren's story was equally remarkable. They turned a nightmare opening race into an astounding 3-4 result. Both Barnard and Bird served early drive-through penalties and initially looked set for a point-less start to the season. However, the two red flags and an adaptive strategy allowed them to close back up to the pack and collect the team's biggest points score since joining the FE grid in 2023. Despite a range of technical issues including a battery charging problem, driveshaft, and brake-by-wire dramas, McLaren capitalized on the situation. The new four-wheel-drive and grippier Hankook tyres gave their 350kW mode extra potency. McLaren team principal Ian James remained concerned about the penalties and emphasized the need for a full investigation. "We need to understand why that was the case. It's something that had been picked up over the weekend. It was felt that it had been resolved, and clearly it wasn't. So I think there's some work to be done there to get to the bottom of that and make sure that that can be sorted before Mexico," he said. He also stressed the importance of operational rigour to capitalize on the performance delivered by Nissan.In conclusion, Nissan's season-opening in Formula E was marred by the systems control issue, while McLaren managed to salvage an unlikely result through a combination of circumstances and adaptability. Nissan's Formula E Struggle and McLaren's Resilience
Nissan's Early Dominance and Penalty Woes
Works Nissan driver Oliver Rowland showed great promise in the early stages of the Sao Paulo E-Prix. Leading the pack and efficiently managing energy targets, he seemed on course for victory. However, a systems control issue during the launch off the grid at the first restart dashed those hopes. The penalty cost the team dearly and left them frustrated. Nissan team principal Tommaso Volpe acknowledged the need to address the issue urgently and ensure it doesn't happen again.
The specific problem related to the power transition from the front to the rear powertrain tipped all Nissans over the legality threshold at different points. This led to penalties for Rowland's team-mate Norman Nato and Nissan-powered McLaren drivers Taylor Barnard and Sam Bird in the opening stages. Rowland's race was further complicated when a glitch occurred at the restart following the red flag caused by Jake Dennis's stranded Andretti Porsche.
McLaren's Nightmare to Astonishing Result
McLaren's opening race of the season was a nightmare as both Barnard and Bird served early drive-through penalties and found themselves at the very back of the field. But the two red flags and an adaptive strategy worked in their favor, allowing them to close back up to the pack and collect the team's biggest points score since joining the FE grid in 2023. Despite a range of technical issues including a battery charging problem, driveshaft, and brake-by-wire dramas, McLaren capitalized on the situation.
The new four-wheel-drive and grippier Hankook tyres gave their 350kW mode extra potency, enabling them to make a strong comeback. McLaren team principal Ian James remained concerned about the penalties and emphasized the need for a full investigation to understand why the control systems launch issues occurred. He also stressed the importance of operational rigour to capitalize on the performance delivered by Nissan.
