BARNSLEY FC’s season came to an end this week but their supporter Oliver Rowland kickstarted his Formula E campaign as he finished on the podium in both races in Berlin.
The 32-year-old from Penistone came third then second, leaving him fourth overall, 18 points off top after eight of 17 races.
Defending champion Rowland has finished on the podium five times this season but is yet to win a race.
Rowland said: “I’m really happy with the weekend and to stand on the podium on both days is a great sign.
“We made a good step and, even though we still have a few issues to work on, five top-three finishes from eight races is not a bad way to start to the season.”
In the second race, the Nissan team purposefully prioritised the race over qualifying. Rowland moved up from 18th on the grid to second while also taking an extra point for the fastest lap.
He said: “We took a bold strategy decision to not take new tyres in qualifying, instead saving them for the race.
“We conserved energy well in the opening laps and then it was a case of deciding when to push. I think we had the pace to win but we couldn’t quite get it done.”
After the first race, Rowland paid tribute to former Formula One driver and Paralympian Alex Zanardi.
“It was a tough day but we’re really happy with the result.
“We made a big step in qualifying, one-lap pace hasn’t been my strength this year so I was delighted to line up third on the grid.
“In the beginning we were trying to be efficient before the pace picked up earlier than we expected, which made it more difficult on the energy side.
“We had a smart race. I worked well with cars around me and stayed out longer than others as I had slipstream from those who had already come in for their stop, so overall it was a positive race for us. I want to dedicate the podium to Alex Zanardi. I was lucky enough to drive for him in karting, so it’s a very sad day to hear of his passing.”
Nissan Formula E managing director Tommaso Volpe said: “We came to Berlin determined to turn things around after a few tough races and we managed to do so, securing a really good result with Oli. The whole team worked hard during the break and it paid off strongly for Oli.
“With Monaco coming soon, we’re determined to make the most of the opportunity to build some momentum for the remainder of the season.”
The next event is another double-header in Monaco on May 16 and 17.
