PARIS, France (October 22, 2024) – Nissan Formula E Team is proud to confirm that Alpine Academy drivers Sophia Flörsch and Abbi Pulling will join the team to take on the all-women Rookie Test in Valencia next month.
The squad is fully embracing this opportunity and has opted to participate with two rookies in the test, fielding a pair of promising young racing drivers.
German racer Flörsch has an impressive racing CV, competing in FIA Formula 3, European Le Mans Series and FIA World Endurance Championship, including three entries into the world famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Meanwhile, British driver Pulling has enjoyed an excellent 2024, becoming the first woman to win in British F4, while also leading F1 Academy, having taken seven wins in 10 races so far this season.
Flörsch and Pulling will be fully integrated into the team’s testing program, with the duo already working alongside the crew in its Paris workshop, along with gaining experience in the simulator.
The duo will hit the track in the afternoon session on Thursday 7 November at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “This is a great initiative to give women the opportunity to test Formula E machinery, and we’re delighted to be taking part with two cars. The number of women racing drivers has been increasing in recent years, and we’re proud to be contributing to the acceleration of this process. It’s a fantastic chance for Sophia and Abbi to learn and to help the team iron out any difficulties we encounter during the week. We’re very pleased to have two of the highest-profile women drivers. They’ll be at the workshop and in the simulator before the test, these cars are not easy to drive so we’re giving them plenty of preparation ahead of the day. It should be a productive session, both for the team moving forwards and a great experience for Sophia and Abbi as they look to further their motorsport careers.”
Sophia Flörsch: “I’m very excited to have the chance to drive the most modern Formula E car. It’s going to be very different to my previous motorsport experiences, but I’m always curious to try new things. I’m highly motivated to get the most out of the test and do my all to help the team as they prepare for Season 11. I’ll be spending time in the simulator to be as ready as possible for Valencia and allow me to extract all I can. Looking forward to getting out there and taking on this incredible opportunity!”
Abbi Pulling: “I’ve been wanting to drive a Formula E car for a long time, so to be given the chance to test the Nissan e-4ORCE 05 is a dream! I’m very excited to take on the challenge of learning the car with the guidance of the Nissan crew. There is a lot to learn and much more to manage so we will take it step by step. It’s a completely different environment to what I’m used to, but the focus is on doing what the team ask of me and to enjoy a productive test together.”
###
About Nissan in Formula E
Nissan made its all-electric racing debut in Season 5 (2018/19) of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, becoming the first and only Japanese manufacturer to enter the series.
In Season 7 (2020/21), Nissan announced its long-term involvement in Formula E and its commitment to the Gen3 era, which will run from Season 9 (2022/23) through to the end of Season 12 (2025/26) of the all-electric racing series.
In April 2022, Nissan acquired the e.dams race team, with the Japanese automaker taking full ownership of its involvement in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
In June 2022, Nissan announced it would supply its Nissan EV powertrain technology to McLaren Racing for the entirety of the Formula E Gen3 era.
For Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E drivers are Oliver Rowland and Sacha Fenestraz.
On 28th March 2024, ahead of the first ever Tokyo E-Prix, Nissan announced its long term commitment to Formula E, becoming the first manufacturer to sign up for the Gen4 era, which runs until 2030, reinforcing its pledge to its Ambition 2030 electrification targets.
Nissan races in Formula E to bring the excitement and fun of zero-emission electric vehicles to a global audience. As part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations and the life cycle of its products by 2050, Nissan intends to electrify every all-new vehicle offering by the early 2030s in key markets. The Japanese automaker aims to bring its expertise in transferring knowledge and technology between the racetrack and road for better electric vehicles for customers.
More information
Global.NissanNews.com/FormulaEPressKit
About Formula E
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship became the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint from inception back in 2020, having invested in certified climate-protecting projects in all race markets to offset emissions from every season of electric racing.
All cars in the championship are powered by electricity, with the series acting as a competitive platform to test and develop the latest in electric technology.
The World’s greatest manufacturers race against each other on street circuits and Formula E promotes the adoption of sustainable mobility in city centres in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.
