Nissan Team confirms Sam Bird as reserve and development driver

In a move that feels almost like a homecoming, the Nissan Formula E Team has welcomed one of the championship’s most decorated drivers back into the fold. Sam Bird (pictured), the only man to have started every single Formula E race since the series lit up Beijing in 2014, will join the squad as reserve and development driver for the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The 38-year-old Briton is no stranger to the Nissan powertrain. For the past two seasons he raced the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 in anger – first with the factory team in Season 9, then with customer outfit NEOM McLaren in Season 10, where he delivered a memorable victory on the streets of São Paulo in March 2024. That win, his twelfth in the category, kept him fourth on the all-time winners’ list and underlined that, even after 144 starts and 27 podiums, Bird’s race-winning instinct remains razor sharp.

Now, instead of chasing the pack, Bird will be the man helping Nissan chase silverware from behind the scenes. Working alongside race drivers Oliver Rowland, Norman Nato and rookie sensation Abbi Pulling, he will spend his weekends trackside offering insight, jumping into the simulator at the earliest opportunity, and playing a key role in shaping both the current GEN3 Evo package and the all-new GEN4 car that arrives in 2026.

Tommaso Volpe, Nissan Formula E Team’s managing director and team principal, could barely hide his satisfaction:
“We’re very happy to welcome Sam as our reserve and development driver for Season 12. He is one of the most experienced and successful drivers in the championship and has competed with our powertrain for the past two seasons, so there was really no question that he would be a great fit. He will play an important role as we look to keep consistently fighting at the top in the upcoming campaign while we get ready for GEN4.”

For Bird, the feeling is mutual.
“I’m extremely happy to be joining Nissan Formula E Team in this new role,” he said. “I’ve worked closely with Nissan over the past two seasons, so I feel prepared – I know the powertrain well. I’ve got a great relationship with both Oli and Norman; they are two drivers I respect very highly. I’ll help them in any way possible trackside and by aiding the development of the current GEN3 Evo and the future GEN4 car. The knowledge I’ve built up over the last two years means I can jump straight into the simulator and give feedback instantly, supporting the squad to build on its recent success in Season 11.”

After a roller-coaster 2024/25 that saw him sidelined through injury and eventually depart McLaren, Bird now steps into a position that perfectly marries his vast experience with Nissan’s ambitious plans. For a team that finished Season 11 on an upward curve and is determined to challenge for titles in the GEN4 era, having one of Formula E’s winningest drivers on speed dial could prove to be the smartest signing of the winter.