Zane Maloney, 23, has joined Nissan Formula E Team for Season 13 alongside 2024/25 Drivers’ World Champion Oliver Rowland. The championship is about to enter its GEN4 era, so he must learn a new team, a new car and several circuits new to Formula E all at once. He describes the new car as a big step up and expects the opening races to reward the drivers who adapt fastest.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is about to start a new chapter, and Zane Maloney begins it with a new team. The Barbadian driver has moved to Nissan Formula E Team for Season 13, where he partners Oliver Rowland, the team’s 2024/25 Drivers’ World Champion.
Maloney is not new to the series. He has already raced in Formula E and has won races in junior categories, including Formula 2. He now faces three changes at once: a different team, the fourth-generation car and a calendar that includes tracks Formula E has not raced on before.
A reset for the whole grid
According to Nissan, Season 13 could be the least predictable season in years, because the new car gives every team a similar starting point. The manufacturer calls GEN4 the most advanced Formula E car so far. The team is currently working through an extensive testing programme to get the most out of the new car.
Maloney’s first impressions are positive.
“The GEN4 car is a big step up. With the active differential, permanent All-Wheel Drive, 600kW of power and more downforce than before, it’s really enjoyable to drive.”
He says nobody quite knows what to expect, but his first laps in the car were “great”.
Racing and strategy could change
Permanent all-wheel drive could change how races play out. Maloney still expects the tightly packed, peloton-style racing the series is known for, but he thinks overtaking may become harder. Previously, Attack Mode gave a large advantage by switching on all-wheel drive. With all-wheel drive now active all the time, he expects that advantage to shrink and teams to look for new strategies.
“In the first race, everyone will be learning so that makes it extra important to be on the pace quickly and start the season with good results,” he said.
Experience from other series
Maloney believes his experience in Formula E, Formula 2 and other categories will help him on unfamiliar tracks. In his view, adapting quickly to different cars, circuits and conditions will matter most in the opening races.
“One of the most important skills to have is to be adaptable to the car, circuit and conditions on any particular day,” he said.
He already has good memories of some venues on the calendar. He won his British F4 title at Brands Hatch and won a Formula 3 race at Zandvoort. He also singled out COTA, where he says the fast, flowing first sector looks “incredible”.
Learning from a champion
The calendar has 21 races, which makes Season 13 the longest in the series’ history. Maloney’s first goal is to build a good working relationship with the team and help develop the car before the opening round.
“On pure pace throughout my career I’ve always been there, it’s now about understanding what the team and I need from each other, which can be difficult in Formula E,” he said.
Rowland, one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, is part of that process. In Season 11 he won the title with two races to spare, scoring seven podiums, four wins and three pole positions. Maloney calls the partnership “a big opportunity” and says Rowland is “very straightforward when it comes to developing the car.”
Nissan’s commitment to Formula E
Nissan entered Formula E in Season 5 (2018/19) and is the only Japanese manufacturer to race in the series. In April 2022 it bought the e.dams team. In March 2024 it became the first manufacturer to sign up for the GEN4 era, which runs until 2030.
Rowland and Maloney will drive for Nissan Formula E Team when Season 13 begins.
Facts: Nissan Formula E Team, Season 13
- Drivers: Oliver Rowland, Zane Maloney
- Car: GEN4, with permanent all-wheel drive and an active differential
- Power: 600 kW
- Calendar: 21 races, the longest season in Formula E history
- GEN4 era: runs until 2030
Source: global.nissannews.com