It has been a wild first half of Season 10 for Oliver Rowland. The boy from Barnsley has managed four podium appearances as well as a win in Misano, but despite his successes and sitting fourth in the standings, he claims he’s not focused on a first Formula E title.
Since returning back to the Nissan team this year, Rowland and teammate Sacha Fenestraz have been tallying up a good haul of points. Four consecutive podiums in Diriyah, São Paulo, Tokyo, and then inheriting the win Misano was a hugely impressive feat for Rowland. However, a technical blip during Misano’s Round 7 saw him run out of energy on the final lap from the lead in shocking scenes.
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A sixth place in Monaco last time out was a good result for Rowland having started 15th on the grid, and both Rowland and the team hope for a strong result around the iconic Tempelhof Airport this weekend.
"The weekend in Monaco wasn't the easiest but the race was quite positive, although there are some areas to improve both individually and as a team,” the 31-year-old said ahead of Rounds 9 and 10 this weekend. “My aims for the second part of the season are to take it race by race and maximise our performance.
“I'm not really thinking about the championship and instead just focusing on building on this year's achievements. I've been successful here in previous years, despite it not being one of my favoured tracks, but the new circuit layout will certainly be interesting. It's a challenge for everyone but hopefully we can get up to speed quickly and have a good weekend."
Rowland actually got his first win here in Season 6, when the championship completed six races in nine days around Tempelhof during the pandemic.
“We've been consistent and competitive so far and will continue to work hard as we head into the second half of the season,” Tommaso Volpe, Nissan Team Principal continued. “The race pace from both drivers was great in Monaco as they battled their way back through the field after a difficult qualifying, ending the weekend with both cars in the points. So, we are in good spirits heading out to Germany, while remaining cautious and focused.”
This season the layout at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit has had some significant changes. The new 2.343km layout features 15 turns and will run anti-clockwise on both occasions. It’s a new challenge for the drivers to learn, but the party fun atmosphere and abrasive track surface will remain the same.
CIRCUIT: Berlin track layout gets fresh look for Season 10
"The track changes make the weekend somewhat unpredictable, though not as much as if it was a brand-new circuit,” Volpe stated. “The modifications to the layout will see energy management playing a crucial role this time, while the very abrasive concrete surface at Tempelhof remains one of the main challenges for all teams. The Berlin double-header was a difficult one for us last season, probably more than any other event. However, the team has grown stronger and more experienced in the last twelve months, so we are confident that this year will be different, and we can perform well there."