Nissan Formula E Team heads to Shanghai for series’ second China stop

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Formula E Team will take on the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend in Rounds 12 and 13 of the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, as the series enters its final six races of the GEN3 era.

After last month’s visit to Sanya, this race event marks the first-ever campaign featuring two locations in China, with the country hosting its second and third E-Prixs of Season 12.

It will be the third time Formula E has travelled to Shanghai, with Nissan Formula E Team scoring points in three of the four races held at the venue to date. Oliver Rowland narrowly missed out on the top-three there in Season 10, and claimed a top five finish on his way to the title last season. Meanwhile, teammate Norman Nato has historically done well in Shanghai and scored points with Rowland on the series’ last visit there.

This year, the Japanese squad will be aiming to bounce back from a difficult race in Sanya, where the team’s strong strategy went unrewarded due to incidents. Rowland will also be looking to close the gap at the top of the Drivers’ Championship in his bid to secure a second consecutive title.

With this weekend’s event being a double-header, Pit Boost will be back in action during Saturday’s E-Prix, with qualifying less crucial due to the wide track layout in Shanghai, allowing for overtaking. The most important factor is the cornering speed because of the high grip nature of the circuit.

The layout is a modified version of the full track, featuring 12 turns and measuring 3.051 kilometers. The venue is famous for its ever-tightening two opening corners, before releasing into the tricky rolling complex of Turns 3-4. The heavy braking zones at Turns and 10 mark the optimal overtaking opportunities.

Free Practice kicks the weekend off on Friday at 16:00 local time (UTC+8), while qualifying and the races on Saturday and Sunday begin at 10:40 and 15:05 respectively.

For this race event, Nissan Formula E Team will once again count on the valuable support of its key partner in China, Dongfeng Nissan. As in Sanya, Nissan’s joint venture in the country will run activations, with guest programs and fan activities showcasing Nissan’s innovative EV technology as well as the brand’s latest EVs launched for the Chinese market. Dongfeng Nissan’s branding will again feature prominently on the squad’s cars, as well as on the drivers’ overalls and garage walls.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’re happy to be back in China so quickly after the race in Sanya as the country is one of Nissan’s most important markets. It’s also a brilliant opportunity to continue working alongside our joint venture, Dongfeng Nissan, as we did last time out in Sanya. As we arrive in Shanghai, there’s just three race weekends remaining of Season 12, so this one is crucial for the Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships. Unfortunately, Norman’s penalty for the damaged gearbox he suffered in Sanya, to no fault of his own, will compromise his race on Saturday. However, we’ll adapt and look to score as many points as possible”.

Oliver Rowland, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “We’ve learnt from what went wrong in Sanya, where we didn’t have the pace in qualifying or the race. Shanghai is a very different layout, I haven’t stood on the podium there before so I’m hoping to put that right this weekend. There’s plenty of overtaking spots on the circuit so qualifying won’t be as important as at other venues. I’m taking it one race at a time in the championship fight, so we’ll give it everything to leave China with strong results.”

Norman Nato, driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “I’m excited to head back to Shanghai, a venue I have enjoyed in the past. Unfortunately the damage from last time out in Sanya means we will have a grid penalty for Saturday’s race, which is frustrating as the incident was not my fault. We’ll look at our options and aim to maximize the result while taking the opportunity to learn for Race. We’re expecting it to be open with lots of overtaking spots. Energy management will be important, it’s something we’ve been good at in recent races so we’re aiming to replicate that and leave with strong points.”

Sam Bird, reserve and development driver, Nissan Formula E Team: “Shanghai is a really good example of a track that tests a driver in many different ways, with a variety of corners. The first sector is the most technical, with Turns 1-3 crucial for setting a good foundation for the lap. Turn also provides the best overtaking opportunity, alongside Turn and possibly the entry to the final chicane. We’re expecting to see pack races, with qualifying more important in Saturday’s Pit Boost race than on Sunday, so I’m excited for what’s shaping up to be a good weekend.”