Nissan driver Oliver Rowland has to miss the Formula E races in Portland due to illness and is therefore out of the title fight
Formula E driver Oliver Rowland will miss this weekend’s Portland E-Prix due to illness. This was announced by his team Nissan on Friday. Rowland will be replaced by substitute driver Caio Collet for the two races in the USA and is therefore out of the title fight.
“Oliver Rowland will not be on the grid at the Portland E-Prix this weekend due to illness. He will be replaced by the team’s reserve and simulator driver, Caio Collet, in the 22 car,” Nissan announced. “The whole team wishes Oli a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back in action next month in London.”
The retirement means Rowland, who was in fourth place in the championship with four races to go in the season, will have to bury his hopes of winning the Formula E title. The Briton had enjoyed a strong season following his return to Nissan, finishing on the podium six times in the twelve races so far.
Rowland celebrated his second victory in Formula E at the first race in Misano after the actual race winner Antonio Felix da Costa (Porsche) was disqualified due to a technical error. Rowland almost achieved a double victory in Italy, but a faulty lap counter meant that he ran out of power on the last lap of the second race while leading.
Substitute Collet will make his Formula E racing debut this weekend, having already driven for Nissan in the rookie tests in Misano and Berlin. The Brazilian switched from Formula 3 to the American Indy Nxt series this year, where he is currently third in the championship after four podium finishes in eight races.
Formula E is making its second appearance at the 3.221-kilometer Portland International Raceway this year. Last year’s premiere was won by the then Envision and now Jaguar driver Nick Cassidy. The races will start at 23:00 CEST on Saturday and Sunday
