Renault out, Nissan in
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The upcoming 2017-18 Formula E season will be the last for Renault. The French manufacturer has won all three of the teams’ titles so far with eDams and took Sebastien Buemi to the 2015-16 drivers’ title.
In their place will come Nissan. As they have a strategic partnership with Renault it makes sense not to have both competing in the same series.
Here’s what they said:
Renault to exit Formula E at the end of season four
Renault today confirmed it will exit Formula E at the end of Season 4, in July 2018. An inaugural partner in Formula E, Renault e.dams clinched its third consecutive Formula E Teams’ title in Montreal at the end of July 2017 and will soon begin Season 4.
“We had an incredible championship run during our first three years in Formula E and look forward to a competitive fourth season with the benefit of a very stable environment at Renault e.dams,” said Thierry Koskas, Groupe Renault EVP Sales and Marketing. “As a pioneer in EV, we have learned a tremendous amount about high-performance electric vehicles and energy management that directly benefits our EV customers. After Season 4 we will focus resources on our aggressive goals for Formula 1 and we look forward to continuing to gain benefits from motorsport racing across the Alliance with Nissan.”
As of mid-2017, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi made up the world’s largest automotive alliance. The companies that form the Alliance function along unique lines, with the focus on collaboration and maximizing synergies to boost competitiveness while maintaining each brand’s individual identity. This involves converged functions between Renault and Nissan in engineering, manufacturing, logistics, purchasing and human resources. The Alliance’s goal is to accelerate collaboration between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors with regard to common platforms, powertrains, and new electric, autonomous and connected vehicle-related technologies.
“Across the Alliance, our engineering teams will be able to share performance data that benefits all brands. Diversifying our racing strategy while still benefiting from the experience we gain from our motorsport programs, is one of the resource multipliers of being part of the Alliance,” added Koskas.
Given the competitiveness of the environment, Renault and Nissan will work together to ensure a smooth transition, leveraging the expertise and development already available.
Nissan joins growing list of automotive brands in Formula E
Nissan is set to become the first Japanese automotive brand to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship – joining the electric street racing series in season five. The move to participate in Formula E provides Nissan with a global platform to spread the message of Nissan Intelligent Mobility – the company’s three-pillar strategy to re-define how its vehicles are driven, powered and integrated into society.
Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “To have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series. Not only is it great to welcome a new manufacturer to the Formula E family – it’s great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is. Japan is a country at the forefront of new technologies with one of the biggest followings of Formula E. The shift towards sustainable mobility is in motion and it’s unstoppable. I look forward to seeing the Nissan logo adorned on the new-look cars for season five.”
“As the ultimate expression of the thrill of instant acceleration and agile handling that’s at the heart of Nissan zero-emission driving, Nissan is going to electrify the Formula E championship,” said Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of global marketing and sales, zero-emission vehicles and battery business, and chairman of Nissan’s management committee for Japan, Asia and Oceania. “Nissan will be the first Japanese brand to enter this growing championship, bringing our long history of motorsports success to the Formula E grid. It will give us a global platform for bringing our pioneering Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy to a new generation of racing fans. Nissan’s DNA is rich in innovation in electric mobility, not to mention a long history of success in motorsports. It makes sense that we bring these two core elements together by competing in Formula E.”
Nissan is set to replace one of the existing validated manufacturer registrations for the 2018/19 season – maintaining the current list of nine manufacturers in total for season five. Further information about Nissan’s participation will be available in due course.
As a follower of F1 as well, there are rumours that Renault have made some serious steps with their engine over the winter break. Their ambitions in F1 are still there, clearly, but I did find it funny at first thay while other manufacturers have been leaving engine formulas for electric, Renault have done the reverse.
From the first race in Saudi Nissan seem like they need to find something extra as Buemi went backards.
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