Oliver Rowland sent a clear message to the Formula E grid in Jeddah—he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Fresh off a thrilling victory in Mexico City, the Nissan driver topped the timing charts in FP1, setting a blistering 1:15.849 to lead the pack under the lights at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Rowland’s Nissan teammate, Norman Nato, was hot on his heels, just a tenth of a second behind, making it a 1-2 for the Japanese manufacturer in the first official session at Formula E’s newest venue.
Rowland and Nissan Set the Standard in Jeddah
With Nissan flexing its muscles early, the rest of the field had work to do. Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara took third, two-tenths behind Rowland, clocking in at 1:16.069.
The top five were completed by McLaren’s Sam Bird in fourth and Cupra Kiro’s Dan Ticktum in fifth, while reigning Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein slotted into sixth for Porsche.
Stoffel Vandoorne showed strong pace for Maserati in seventh, followed by title-leader Antonio Felix da Costa in eighth. DS Penske’s Max Günther finished ninth, while Mitch Evans rounded out the top 10 for Jaguar.
Despite the high-speed nature of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the competitive field was tightly packed, with just five-tenths separating the top 10 and 1.6 seconds covering the entire grid—including Taylor Barnard’s McLaren, who brought up the rear.
New Jeddah Circuit Layout Challenges Drivers
Formula E’s move from Riyadh to Jeddah introduced a new version of the Corniche Circuit—one designed specifically for electric racing. The shortened track shaves off two miles from the full F1 layout, incorporating temporary chicanes that have already proven tricky for the field.
One particular bump on the exit of the final chicane leading to the start-finish straight seemed to catch out multiple drivers, causing a noticeable wiggle as they powered toward Turn 1.
Momentum on Rowland’s Side?
Rowland is riding a wave of momentum after his dramatic late-race triumph in Mexico City, where he held off Porsche’s powerhouse duo of Wehrlein and da Costa. Now, with Nissan looking quick straight out of the gate in Jeddah, he has the opportunity to cement himself as a serious title contender.
With Race 1 looming tomorrow, all eyes are on whether Rowland and Nissan can convert this early pace into another dominant performance—or if the likes of Porsche, Jaguar, and McLaren can close the gap when it really counts.
One thing is certain—Formula E’s Jeddah debut is already delivering the fireworks.