Penistone’s Formula E driver Oliver Rowland looking to build on last season’s strong finish

TITLE CHARGE: Penistone's Oliver Rowland will begin his 2021 Formula E campaign this weekend in his Nissan e.Dams car. Picture: Alastair Staley/LAT Images.

AFTER finishing last season as arguably the form driver in the Championship, Oliver Rowland will be gunning for more race victories when the new Formula E season gets under way in Diriyah this weekend.

The Nissan e.dams driver claimed fifth place in the overall standings last year, and after chalking up his first victory in the electric car series with a dominant lights-to-flag victory in Berlin last August, Rowland has set his sights on a title challenge in 2021.

With a solid pre-season behind him, the Penistone driver believes he can carry his good form into the opening double header in Saudia Arabia – the first night races in Formula E history.

”It was awesome to get my first Formula E win under my belt at the penultimate round in Berlin last season, so I’m feeling good about my speed going into season seven,” said Rowland.  “The pre-season test in Valencia went well for us, and I’m feeling really comfortable with the team. The next thing for me is to challenge for the title.”

To achieve his goal, Rowland will have to get the better of defending champion Antonio Felix Da Costa and double champion Jean-Éric Vergne in their DS Techeetah cars – not to mention his own team-mate Sebastien Buemi.

“I just think this season will be as competitive as ever,” added Rowland. “My main rivals will be Da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne because they’ve won the championship the last three years between them and my team-mate [Buemi] will be strong but there are many drivers who can spring a surprise out there.”

Rowland put in a strong display in today’s first race to finish in sixth place behind eventual winner Nyck de Vries. Tomorrow’s second race is due to begin at 5pm.

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