Exclusive: Sérgio Sette Câmara on returning to the driver’s seat in Berlin
By
Maahika Banerjee
·
4–5 minutes
When Norman Nato had to pursue World Endurance Championship duties during the Berlin E Prix, it opened the door for Sérgio Sette Câmara to return to the cockpit at the Berlin E‑Prixdouble-header on July 12–13.
After spending a full season watching from the sidelines, Sérgio Sette Câmara made a meaningful return to the Formula E grid, switching his roles as an ELMS driver for one weekend.
On paper, it was a short-term replacement, but for the 27-year-old Brazilian, this weekend was far more than a stand-in—it was a personal comeback, a reminder of what it feels like to race once again in the electric series.
In an exclusive interview with The Girls Who Motorsport, Sette Câmara discussed his journey from observing Nissan from the sidelines to his expectations for the weekend and how he can help teammate Oliver Rowland clinch the Championship title.
“I’ve been on the sidelines, watching how Nissan works,” Sette Câmara said before the race weekend. “Now, getting the chance to actually be the driver is extremely exciting.”
Sette Câmara has been Nissan’s reserve driver since the start of Season 11, but Berlin marked his first competitive outing since Season 10.
Though he’d tested the Gen3 car before, this was his first race weekend experiencing the newly upgraded Gen3 Evo, featuring four-wheel drive, pit boost, and a softer tire compound.
But none of that technical intrigue was what motivated him most, in-fact the Brazilian driver felt excited, while sharing:
“It’s not because it’s Gen3 or Evo,” he clarified. “The main reason I’m excited is because it’s my Formula E comeback, with a top team like Nissan.”
Sharing his joy to step out on track once again, reminiscing his old days as a driver for the team.
The Berlin track, with its abrasive concrete surface and unpredictable grip levels, is notoriously unique—something Sette Câmara didn’t underestimate.
“Berlin is a track like no other. I don’t even know if you can call it asphalt. It completely changes how the car behaves, how it builds temperature—it’s tricky.”
Doing everything to help for the title wins
There’s pressure any time you step into a race seat mid-season. But stepping into a team fighting for three titles raises the stakes even higher.
Nissan came to Berlin leading the manufacturers’ championship, second in the teams’ standings, and with Oliver Rowland gunning for the drivers’ crown.
“There are two ways I can help: scoring points for the teams’ and manufacturers’ standings, and helping Ollie in any way I can,” he explained. “If I leave Berlin with points in the bag and I’ve helped Oliver even a little, I’ll be happy.”
Lessons on observing from the sidelines
Though a year away from racing may seem like a setback, Sette Câmara believes he used his reserve role wisely, learning from the outside in.
“You learn less on the sidelines,” he admitted.
“It’s like being told about a city—you don’t really know it until you go. Driving is the same. But I’ve been focusing on how the race drivers give feedback, how they work with engineers. That’s what I tried to absorb.”
His insight extended beyond the car. For a driver who once admitted struggling in Season 9, his first Gen3 season, this weekend felt like both a technical challenge and a mental one.
“My first Gen3 season was my worst in Formula E. I didn’t adapt at all. But Season 10 I got quick again. Now with Gen3.5, I know what to expect. I just have to get used to the new tire compound, the degradation, the four-wheel drive. It’s not easy, but I’m ready.”
Carrying what’s meaningful
Throughout the weekend, Sette Câmara was open about the mental demands of stepping back into a high-performance environment. One piece of advice stood out—something from a driver coach that helped him stay grounded:
“Even if the lap feels terrible—finish it. So many times I thought I was doing a mediocre lap, but it turned out great. This weekend, I just want to finish the job every time.”
When asked what he’d tell his younger self, he didn’t talk about technique or titles but about relationships and reputation:
“The output of your work is less important than how you treat the people around you. I’d rather be an 8/10 driver that the team loves working with, than a 10/10 that no one enjoys being around.”
Making it happen
“Like anyone in any job, you just want to feel useful. You want to finish the day feeling like you’ve done a good job.”
That is exactly what he did; his goal to help Rowland and Nissan’s journey in the Championships by scoring at least one point finally came through as Sette Câmara finished in 10th place, scoring 1 point.
Not only that, but he also set the fastest sectors during the race, dominating sector one and two alongside Pascal Wehrlein.
