New team, new car, new tracks: Nissan Formula E Team’s Zane Maloney looks ahead to Season 13

Zane Maloney, aged 23, transitions to Nissan Formula E Team for Season 13 alongside 2024/25 Drivers’ World Champion Oliver Rowland, bringing prior Formula E experience and junior category race wins. The team prepares for the GEN4 era, which introduces an advanced car with active differential, permanent All-Wheel Drive, 600kW power, and increased downforce, reshaping competition dynamics. Maloney highlights the car’s performance benefits but notes strategic adjustments will be necessary due to reduced advantages from Attack Mode under All-Wheel Drive conditions.

Season 13 features 21 races, the longest campaign in Formula E history, and introduces new circuits alongside familiar tracks like Brands Hatch and Zandvoort. Maloney emphasizes adaptability as critical, drawing on his experience across multiple racing disciplines to quickly adjust to different cars and conditions during the opening races. He also expresses enthusiasm for circuits such as COTA, praising their fast and flowing layouts while acknowledging the challenge of mastering them early in the season.

Maloney’s immediate focus is building a strong working relationship with the team and refining the GEN4 car’s performance ahead of the season opener. He aims to establish efficient procedures with the crew, leveraging Rowland’s experience as a recent champion to accelerate development and improve results. The collaboration between driver and team is framed as essential to navigating the unpredictable nature of the new car and competitive landscape.

Nissan’s long-term commitment to Formula E, including ownership of the e.dams team since 2022, underscores its role as a pioneer in electric racing. The championship serves as a platform for testing electric vehicle technology, with Nissan aligning its racing efforts to broader electrification goals under its Ambition 2030 strategy.