In a season that began with quiet optimism, Nissan Formula E Team emerged as a powerhouse in Formula E’s eleventh chapter. “We knew this season we would have been strong,” team principal Tommaso Volpe tells The Girls Who – Motorsport.

“Our package had a big improvement in efficiency and the team was growing… but to be honest, we were surprised how dominant we were with Oliver.”

Mexico Set the Tone

That dominance was underlined by four race wins, including historic victories in Tokyo and Monaco. Yet for Volpe, it was the second race of the season that defined Nissan’s mindset. “Mexico… I think was very important to start in the right way the season. In Brazil, we saw that the car was fast, but we came back with zero points because of technical penalties. So our confidence was affected by the result. Winning in Mexico confirmed that we were actually stronger.”

Volpe credited the team’s energy efficiency gains as key to matching Formula E’s elite. “That’s why we could compete with the top manufacturers. It was a surprise to see Jaguar struggling, but they’re coming back. This is Formula E. It always resets.”

Drivers’ Title First – But They Wanted More

Now, with the drivers’ title secured by Oliver Rowland, Nissan eyes the remaining team and manufacturer championships. “We came here more relaxed because we won the championship that generates more media attention,” Volpe says. “But for us as a manufacturer, both teams and manufacturers’ championships are very important. Porsche is strong, but we’ll fight until the last corner of the last race.”

Ultimately, Nissan narrowly missed out. The team finished third in the teams’ championship with 207 points and also took third in the manufacturers’ standings with 342—still a significant step forward compared to previous seasons.

On That Viral Berlin Moment

When asked about the viral moment in Berlin, where team principals appeared to laugh following a minor contact between Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa, Volpe clarifies: “I know it looked not nice, but it was not as it looked like. We would never laugh at an accident of other drivers.”

Looking ahead, Nissan faces change with McLaren exiting as a customer team. “It’s a very bad news for the sport, for us as a manufacturer, and for the talents in that team. But teams coming and going is part of motorsport. We are still a young sport.”

Season 12 Ambitions Stay High

Despite those uncertainties, Volpe remains ambitious for Season 12: “We will try to win again the drivers’ championship and attack the team championship. For the manufacturers’ title, with only two cars, it’ll be difficult… but we’ll go for it.”

The full interview with Tommaso Volpe about Nissan’s Formula E season is now available on our YouTube.