Nissan e.dams 'surprised' by FIA decision to outlaw 'innovative' powertrain

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Nissan e.dams 'surprised' by FIA decision to outlaw 'innovative' powertrain

We catch up with Nissan e.dams Team Principal Jean-Paul Driot to hear his thoughts on the FIA's ban on dual motors for the sixth season for Formula E

Nissan e.dams 'surprised' by FIA decision to outlaw 'innovative' powertrain

Alongside the launch of the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E season calendar, the FIA - motorsport's governing body - revealed the use of dual motor will be outlawed in the sixth Formula E campaign. Responding to the news, we catch up with Nissan e.dams Team Principal Jean-Paul Driot ahead of the 2019 Julius Baer Swiss E-Prix in Bern. 

"We started [the season] with quite an innovative powertrain and it was a difficult one to put together," explains Nissan e.dams Team Principal Jean-Paul Driot on the eve of the final round of the voestalpine European races in Bern. 

Since the team entered into the Championship at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, it's been the only outfit to run a twin-MGU (Motor Generator Unit) powertrain.

"We had difficulties in getting it working and making it reliable but now we've reached the level of reliability and performance, after the season, we will have to go back, in a short period of time, to one engine," said Droit.

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"They decided this kind of system was difficult for them. We were quite strong on the track, so in order to balance everyone, they decided that we will have to go back to one engine. 

"We were surprised because it was homologated by them at the start of the season," added the team boss.  

"We have always followed the FIA. We have done everything with the FIA since the beginning, including this innovative solution. We have been homologated. We follow what the FIA wants... and Nissan is there to be innovative so we will try to be so. 

"We hope that we can confirm it was worth doing it by winning some races before the end of the Championship." 

With three rounds of the current season remaining, the team will run the dual motor Gen2 car until the final in New York City on July 14. Speaking of the task that lies before the Japanese team as they approach their second campaign in the all-electric series, Driot confidently stated, "we will keep up with the new challenge."