Berlin E-Prix: Sergio Sette Camara makes Formula E comeback for Nissan & replaces Norman Nato

Brazilian Sergio Sette Camara will contest the Berlin E-Prix for Nissan in around a month's time. The team announced this in a press release on Tuesday morning. The team's replacement and simulator driver is standing in for Norman Nato, who will not be able to contest the double-header in the German capital due to his involvement in the World Endurance Championship, which takes place in Sao Paulo on the same weekend.

Sette Camara previously drove 66 races for Dragon Racing (now DS Penske) and the NIO team, which now competes under the name Cupra Kiro and was renamed ERT last season following a rebranding. However, the 27-year-old lost his regular cockpit to David Beckmann before the current season and switched to Nissan as a reserve driver.

His best result in Formula E was a fourth place in the 2021 Diriyah E-Prix. However, Sette Camara has never sat in a car capable of winning in his Formula E career to date, but that will change in Berlin. Nissan is currently in second place in the team standings, just a single point behind leader Porsche, and even leads the manufacturers' standings by a clear margin.

Sette Camara: "Being back on the grid is special"

"I’m excited to race for the Nissan Formula E Team in Berlin," says Sergio Sette Camara. "It's a good opportunity for me to step into one of the leading cars in the championship, something I haven't experienced before in this series, and I feel ready to give my all. Even in my role as reserve driver, it's been a pleasure to be part of a team with such a strong, winning mentality. Being back on the grid is special, but doing it with Nissan does make it more meaningful."

"In regards to the race itself, there are a number of firsts I'll have to face in Berlin," he describes. "The Pit Boost and the all-wheel-drive system introduced for Ger3 EVO car are a couple of them, as well as the new softer tire spec, but I'll do plenty of laps on the simulator and try to arrive as prepared as I possibly can."

"I'm also really keen to team up with Oli (Rowland), he's a driver I've always admired for his speed and he’s proven that so far this year with his incredible performances. It's a great chance for me to learn from him, we get on well and I’m confident we will work together strongly in Berlin."

Volpe: "We're confident we have the best man for the job"

"It's a shame Norman can’t be with us in Berlin, but we're delighted to have Sergio stepping in," so Tommaso Volpe, team principal of the Nissan Formula E Team. "Sergio's extensive experience in Formula E and his time with the team this season make him the best-placed driver to step in and take on this challenge."

"Formula E is a unique series and, as we’ve seen in the championship in recent seasons, it can be difficult for drivers to come in and immediately be on the pace due to the specificities of the cars, tires and energy management," Volpe adds. "However, we are confident we have the best man for the job and look forward to seeing what he can do on track in Berlin."

However, before the Berlin E-Prix, which will take place on 12 and 13 July, there is still the race in Jakarta. There, on 21 June, Norman Nato will once again be at the wheel of the Nissan with starting number 17.