Tommaso Volpe: Nissan Formula E boss on global fandom, inclusivity and breaking the US

We speak to the team principal of Formula E’s most popular team about the series’ diverse fanbase, the connection between road and track and how the sport can continue to grow

According to data, the Nissan Formula E team is the sport’s most-supported team.

As championship audience numbers soar year on year, the Japanese marque with its cherry blossom-liveried cars has more fans and followers around the world than any other team on the grid.

That’s no doubt due in part to its longevity in the sport – it’s been involved since 2018 – and the fact that Nissan driver Oliver Rowland romped to victory in the drivers’ championships last year. But for Team Principal Tommaso Volpe, there’s more to its appeal than success and staying power.

For him, the team’s popularity is tied to Nissan’s global reach and the wider appeal of Formula E, which is bringing in a new and more diverse fanbase to the world of motorsport.

Inclusivity is key

Speaking to EV Powered at the 2026 Madrid E-Prix, Volpe explains: “Nissan is a very inclusive brand and this sport, differently to other motorsports, is more inclusive by nature.

“When you look at the profile of people following Formula E, it’s more diverse gender-wise, it’s younger and, looking at the statistics, only half of people following Formula E are traditional motorsport fans. The other half are people more interested in sustainability, innovation and entertainment in general.”

And, according to Volpe, that more diverse audience is more familiar and comfortable with a name like Nissan, especially given its presence in every market where Formula E races.

“They might feel less the appeal of exclusive brands which are more on the positioning of high performance, while Nissan is more inclusive,” he says.

“We do have a portfolio which is very diverse, which can go from high performance cars like the GT-R to family vehicles. So I think the nature and the DNA of our brand in a way appeals more to a certain profile of fans of Formula E. That’s why as a result, even when we were not winning, and now even more, we were already the team with the largest fanbase.”

Brand connection

Volpe also believes that close links between the Formula E team and the wider Nissan group help reinforce that familiarity as well as driving home the connection between road and track cars.

When Nissan took full control of the team from e.dams three years ago, it brought in experts from its electric passenger car division to help improve the Formula E car’s efficiency. The results were apparent early in the 2025 season when Nissan opened up a substantial lead over rivals.

Says Volpe: “The power of our involvement in Formula E is not just that, of course, we have our branding and we promote the brand, but there is a genuine connection with our advanced R&D department in Japan.

“The car that you see now was heavily improved compared to the previous one thanks to solutions that we transferred from our R&D department in Japan to the design of the gearbox and motor of this car.

“Our promotion of the Nissan brand via Formula E wouldn’t be as effective if it was not based on the fact that the car is actually developed utilising Nissan R&D. It’s not just a sticker on the car. We actually have our technology, our IP [intellectual property]in the car. There’s a genuineness there.”

And while that technology isn’t instantly apparent on Nissan’s road cars, data from Formula E – whether on braking regeneration, motor management or ultra-rapid charging – will help inform the next generation of electric passenger vehicles.

Blending old and new

While a huge part of Formula E’s fanbase don’t come from a traditional motorsport audience, Volpe acknowledges that attracting more “old-school” fans to the sport can only be a positive thing.

Jarama, which hosted the Madrid E-Prix, was made famous in the 1970s and 80s by Formula 1, and still hosts regular touring car, motorcycle and truck racing. Volpe believes that using established circuits such as this alongside temporary street circuits can help broaden the sport’s appeal among more traditional motorsport followers.

“I think that having some of those [permanent] circuits in the calendar is definitely helping to create more interest in the sport. If you look at these events, it’s packed and it’s very successful, obviously.”

He points to the popularity of Monaco and the permanent track in Mexico City, which always draw large crowds.

“’People in a specific location start to appreciate that there is a venue where there are some events and the moment you are part of this agenda, of course they start to recognise the sport,” he adds.

Rising to the challenge

Recognition for Formula E is key to its continued growth, especially in new markets. Asked about the sport’s latest attempt to break into the United States, Volpe is grounded but optimistic.

“The US is a little bit more challenging for a couple of reasons,” he says. “First of all, it’s not always easy to break through with a world championship which is spread out on the planet. They tend to follow their own series. Formula One only after decades started to become successful in the US. And Formula E is only 12 years old.

“Another element is the fact that our narrative is about a full electric powertrain and we all know that this is less impactful as a narrative than in European countries.

“So these are definitely a couple of challenges, but I have no doubt that step by step the sport will become successful in the US as well.

“And for a brand like Nissan, this is very important because we are probably the most global car brand in the sport. And the US is a very important market, so we really wish for the success of the sport there as well.”

Which brings us back to Nissan’s global reach. Surely if Formula E can crack the US, the Nissan team will have another ready-made fanbase to swell its support even further.