The Brit charged from 13th on the grid to claim second place in the opening round of Season 12, securing 19 points for the Nissan Formula E Team.
REPORT: Dennis wins storming Season 12 opener in São Paulo
From the moment the lights went out, Rowland was on a mission. Starting just behind DS Penske’s Taylor Barnard, Rowland wasted no time slicing through the pack. By Lap 14, Rowland had already climbed to P7, making a decisive move on Jaguar’s Mitch Evans while keeping Barnard firmly behind him.
His momentum continued until Lap 23, where he briefly seized the lead of the race, though polesitter Jake Dennis quickly reclaimed the position as the front-runners continued to trade the lead of the race.
The fight at the front was nailbiting, but in the closing stages, the race turned chaotic when ABB Formula E newcomer, CUPRA Kiro’s Pepe Martí, suffered one of the worst crashes the championship has ever seen, triggering the first Red Flag of Season 12. The race restarted with a one-lap shootout to the finish, and Rowland was right in the mix, coming home to secure his first silverware of the season.
The last time the Nissan driver took home silverware from the streets of São Paulo was in Season 10, when he finished third. Last year, he only managed 14th.
“I’m happy because I maximised everything,” he said. “I think top five was a realistic, deserved result for us, but I’ll take it because I had some bad luck here last year and we just need to work a bit harder ahead of Mexico. We’re ready for it.”
“It’s fun for you guys, not for us. It’s a hard race to manage,” he added. “Honestly, the temperature with the battery and the tire was a bit of a problem, but from my perspective it was absolutely fine. I didn’t feel too hot. It’s a lot of adrenaline to keep the heat away.”
Though the season has only just begun, Rowland is already looking ahead to defending his title as the championship heads to Mexico City next month.
He added, “It’s not my favourite circuit. I’ve never been super good there apart from last year. Let’s work hard and be humble. If we can be on the podium there, then we’re in the fight.”
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