Cross interview Sacha Fenestraz-Norman Nato (Nissan): “We are clear about our strengths”

Nissan is only in ninth place in the Teams' Championship after five events (out of a total of 11 teams registered. Editor's note). How can we explain such an overall result, when pure speed seems acquired thanks to a pole position for Sacha Fenestraz in Cape Town?

Sacha Fenestraz: The start of the season was a bit complicated, especially in Mexico. Norman had to retire on the first lap (clash with Robin Frijns. Editor's note), and I encountered too many small technical problems to be able to stay in the points during the last laps. Then I think we have progressed a lot. We held a meeting a few days ago to take stock of this winter, and the figures collected show it. The general result is not great, of course, but in the race, I need to put more luck on my side to improve performance. And then, it takes time for everything to work. We have almost 70% of staff discovering the FE this season, including my engineer. It’s a progression that happens slowly.

Norman Nato: This is the first “real” year that Nissan takes part in the FE as a standalone manufacturer under the name Nissan Formula E Team. Compared to the previous campaign, the two pilots have changed (Nato and Fenestraz having replaced Sébastien Buemi, pillar of the e.dams team since 2014, and Maximilian Günther. Editor's note) and the team's employees are no longer the same as Sacha said. In a championship where everything is decided to the nearest tenth, inevitably, the lack of experience is paid for. But it is a choice made voluntarily by Nissan. The work we are currently doing is not yet reflected in the results. Honestly, we deserve better, but on the other hand, it's part of the usual process.

Why McLaren, which is a client team with Nissan, is doing better than Nissan even though it is the originator of the powertrain?

SF : McLaren started the season very strong, that’s clear. But over the past two meetings, we have returned to their level, or even exceeded it.

NN: When we race against teams that have been present in FE for a long time such as DS, Jaguar, and even McLaren, which took over 80% of the staff employed by Mercedes in 2022, it's normal not to be able to claim to beat them from the start. Our package is good, as McLaren's results have demonstrated. Nissan is also proving it, little by little. We have done some good development work (of the powertrain. Editor's note), which was our responsibility as a supplier to McLaren. Nissan has more room for improvement than other teams. We are heading in the right direction, but it has not yet translated into big points because the “success” factor has not been on our side so far.

Is it difficult to live with this feeling of frustration?

NN: No, because we are clear about our strengths. The program ran for several years. The objective this season is to increase the number of highlights. On the other hand, for the following season (2024), this is normally where we will see all the work done at the moment.

Sao Paulo ready! 🇧🇷🇧🇷 The break has been nice but I'm ready to go again 🤘 🏎️💨 pic.twitter.com/nEhhumRA90

— Sacha Fenestraz (@sachafenestraz) March 17, 2023

We had the feeling that all the teams have been working in a climate of emergency since the end of the Gen2 era. Pre-season testing in Valencia highlighted reliability flaws, and preparation time was very short until the winter ePrix, itself condensed into a few weeks. Did you experience it like this?

NN: The start of the season was stressful. On a physical level, we felt the sequence of races like rarely before. The car was brand new, which also had an impact on the mental and physical aspects. The two weeks of break before preparing for the São Paulo ePrix (Brazil, March 25) were particularly useful. But it was especially for the people working in the factory that it was a trying time trial. There have been concerns from suppliers and the FE. We had some doubts, because we didn't know where we stood before the opening ePrix (Mexico ePrix January 14. Editor’s note). Honestly, I wouldn't have liked to be in the place of the people at the workshop! It’s to their credit, I congratulate them. The end of the season will finally be a big series of tests (7 races between June 3 and July 30. Editor’s note), with development for 2024 which will begin in parallel.

Many drivers pointed out the physical aspect of driving this Gen3. What is difficult about handling this car ?

SF: The steering is heavier than the Gen2 (Fenestraz served as Jaguar reserve driver in 2020 and contested an ePrix replacing Antonio Giovinazzi in 2022 at Andretti. Editor’s note). The front driveshafts and engine make the steering heavy, as it is unassisted. It took a little time, and some strength training, to get used to it, it wasn't easy in Mexico. This leads to the risk of wrist injuries, as seen with Robin (Frances. Editor’s note) in Mexico. If you hit the wall or an opponent, the shuttlecock has become very brutal.

Back to business! Round 6 this weekend in São Paulo 🇧🇷 @NISMO pic.twitter.com/jMT8CmBqnf

— Norman Nato (@NatoNorman) March 20, 2023

Do we drive a Gen3 like a Gen2?

SF : Tire management is completely different. If we had kept the Michelins, the behavior of the car would have been significantly similar. There, with the transition to Hankooks, that no longer has much to do with it. The driving style is changed.

NN : La gestion de l’énergie a évolué. Je crois que les équipes n’ont pas toutes compris exactement quel choix prendre en course. Porsche a clairement pris un avantage pour le moment ; mais est-ce que cela provient d’une meilleure efficacité du groupe motopropulseur, ou de la façon dont ils régénèrent l’énergie ? Nous n’en savons rien. Après, cela reste une FE, avec ce que cela implique : peu d’adhérence, pas beaucoup de charge aéro. Sur un tour qualif, cela reste similaire. En course, ce n’est pas comme avant.

Tires are different, but in what area?

NN : They are similar to the surface of a slick tire. The studs seen on the Michelins are less present. In terms of rubber texture, I can't say if the Hankook is less soft than the Michelin. We are still learning how this rubber reacts. Sometimes they overheat too quickly, and other times they take ages to get up to temperature. As always when a new manufacturer arrives, the product is not perfect from its first version. I am convinced that Hankook will take technical feedback from the teams to make changes in the following seasons.

If we had to put a percentage, to what extent have you succeeded in exploiting the potential of Gen3?

NN : It’s complicated to answer today. We don't know the real potential! We don't know the limits of Gen3. The preparation time has been reduced so much that we try various things during the race weekend. Developments will arrive on the car, we know what they will bring us but we do not know the precise gain per lap.

S. Fenestraz in the streets of Cape Town. © Paulo Maria / DPPI

On the Gen3, there are no carbon elements protecting the wheels, unlike the previous version. Does this play into the way you attack a rival? Are you more careful than before?

SF : We return to a “classic” single-seater. We're used to rolling with that. We see fewer accidents, especially because the teams do not fully know the car's limits. From one lap to the next, the car can react differently. There is a little more hesitation when trying to overtake. There are still some great battles, especially at the end of races, perhaps not as many as in the days of Gen2, but it shouldn't be long...

Is there still room to have fun behind the wheel of an FE?

SF : Ah I think so! Driving in the city is always fun. The risk factor is also exhilarating with tire management. The margin of error is very fine; as soon as you leave the line, there is almost no grip as the tracks are dirty.

Sacha, in recent years, you have played in Japan, where the circuits are much wider. At the ePrix in Hyderabad (India) and Cape Town (South Africa), you were involved in two collisions. Do you need to readjust to driving in an urban environment?

SF : I'm not going to change my driving style because I don't think I made a mistake to find myself in a situation like that. It was an unfortunate incident of racing. You have to be attentive; it's just that in the last lap, everyone wants to grab a place on the podium. It's very different from what I experienced in Super GT and Super Formula. I have a lot of fun, I have always loved driving around town on promotional packages. We spoke with Nick (Cassidy. Editor’s note). We are big boys now! Everything is fine. It's a bit of a shame what he did, but that's motorsport.

The weekend format is not the same…

SF : It's not easy to assimilate. There is little time to think and take a step back in an FE format, especially with ePrixes which follow one another on Saturday and Sunday (there are 5 in 2023. Editor’s note). You have to go for it! But the qualifying format, where there is only the possibility of setting a fast time, is exciting for a driver.

Does Norman play the role of big brother to Sacha?

SF : (laughs) Ah, that, I don’t really know…

NN : Yes, yes, I had to take him a little under my wing because at the beginning, he had difficulty riding! He didn't train too much, he had to toughen up!

SF : With Norman, we get along perfectly. His experience is beneficial. We work in harmony because we aim to improve the performance of the entire team.

The understanding is good between the two pilots. © Julien Delfosse / DPPI

As Norman is an ePrix winner (Berlin 2021 with Venturi), has he given you a secret to being effective in the discipline?

NN : I wish I had one, but I don't have one. I won in Berlin simply by driving, there is no secret (laughs).

SF : I still remember that Norman told me to be careful at the start in India, because the first corner risked being carnage. But hey, it's almost usual in FE.

What goals do you set for the rest of this season?

SF : Personally, I surprise myself. I didn't expect to qualify 4th in India and even more so for pole position in Cape Town. If it continues on this path, I would be interested, but I know that there will be a few less good shots. I have to be realistic and keep working, we are not regular enough.

NN : The two cars would have to be entered together in the points, which has not yet been the case. Then I want to make brilliant moves and convert good performances into good results. We would have to get on the podium, which has not been our case so far. We need to prepare ourselves to be in the top 3 regularly in 2024.

In Cape Town, the management of neutralizations, which are often late in the event of accidents, has caused debate. Were you able to discuss it with Race Direction?

SF : Not yet, but we know what to put on the table during the next drivers' briefing, organized just before the first session of each ePrix. This is an important subject which will be on the agenda of the briefing, but it is not the only one because other problems have taken place in Cape Town. The release of the red flag (during the accident of Edoardo Mortara, hit by Sam Bird while no flag was being waved. Editor's note) was dangerous, it could have been worse and it could have been avoided.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEKRwCdkLhQ