The Gen3 car from the Nissan Formula E team will debut on Tuesday, December 13 at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 9 pre-season test at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.
Having already revealed the vehicle’s new livery, which consists of a cherry blossom pattern as a nod to the company’s Japanese heritage, pre-season testing will also mark the first time the Nissan-powered NEOM McLaren Formula E Team runs in an official Formula E session. Earlier in 2022, Nissan and McLaren signed a partnership deal that will see the UK-based team running the Nissan powertrain for the entire Gen3 era of Formula E.
For the 2022/23 campaign, Nissan seeks to blend the expertise of drivers Norman Nato, a Formula E race winner, and Sacha Fenestraz, a Super Formula runner-up. The pair will each compete in the #17 and #23 cars respectively.
Testing at the circuit will run December 13-16, 2022.
“We are very excited for the test in Valencia,” said Tommaso Volpe, managing director, Nissan Formula E Team. “It’s the first time all the teams get together with their Gen3 cars. The level of innovation is a massive step up from the Gen2 powertrains, so it presents us with a very different challenge. We’ve got two new drivers and the team has also been through some changes, so we’ll be looking to work as a unit from the first day to find the best setup and learn about our car. We’ve been preparing as best we can and we’re looking forward to seeing the car on track in an official session for the first time.”
“Testing is always a great moment ahead of a new season and we’re all looking forward to seeing the new car in action,” said Nisan Formula E Team driver Nato. “We’ll aim to continue what we’ve been doing in recent months, preparing as best we can for the campaign. Being fastest in Valencia is not a target for us, we’re fully concentrated on getting ready for Mexico in January. It’s not been long since the end of last season, but we’ve been really busy in the factory, and I can’t wait to get out on track in the new car in Valencia.”
“We’ve been working very hard to be ready for this test and now it’s almost here, I’m really excited,” commented Nissan Formula E Team driver Fenestraz. “It’s a big step in my career and I can’t wait to drive the car in Valencia and see where we stand ahead of the new season. Mexico is coming around quickly so we need to stay focused and make sure we are in the best possible position for the first race.”
