Oliver Rowland misses both Formula E races in Portland, Caio Collet steps in for Nissan

Shock in Portland: Nissan driver Oliver Rowland will miss the Portland E-Prix due to health reasons. This is reported by the well-informed colleagues at Il Messaggero. In Rowland's place, Brazilian Caio Collet, Nissan's official replacement driver, will make his Formula E debut in the USA.

The absence for the two races in Portland is therefore also likely to mean the end of Rowland's title dreams. The Briton won Saturday's race in Misano this season and has finished on the podium a further five times. He is currently fourth in the overall standings, just 36 points behind Jaguar driver Nick Cassidy.

"Oliver Rowland will not compete in this weekend's Portland E-Prix double-header due to illness," said a Nissan statement released on Friday afternoon (CEST). "The team's reserve and simulator driver, Caio Collet, will step into car #22 instead. The whole team wishes Oli a quick recovery and to see him back in action in London next month."

Team update ahead of Portland E-Prix pic.twitter.com/1j2bKO8lP9

— Nissan NISMO (@NISMO) June 28, 2024

The 22-year-old Collet has already gained his first experience in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04: He sat in the Gen3 car at both the "0th free practice" in Misano and the rookie test in Berlin. The 2018 French Formula 4 champion is currently racing in the Indy NXT series, where he is in third place in the overall standings after eight of 14 races this season. In order to take part in the Portland E-Prix, Collet cancelled his participation in the Indy NXT test drives at Iowa Speedway.

Caio Collet to miss Iowa Speedway Test today #HMDMotorsports / #INDYNXT pic.twitter.com/TNvFePKBOS

— HMD Motorsports (@HMDMotorsports) June 28, 2024

Collet is the sixth substitute driver to compete in the 2024 Formula E World Championship: Taylor Barnard replaced the injured Sam Bird at McLaren in Monaco and Berlin. Due to a clash of dates with the World Endurance Championship, Paul Aron and Joel Eriksson (both Envision), Jordan King (Mahindra) and Kelvin van der Linde (ABT Cupra) also took part in the Berlin E-Prix.