Norman Nato takes first Formula E pole position! Miami E-Prix Qualifying report

Credit: Simon Galloway

A fantastic showing from Nissan's Norman Nato who has taken his first Formula E pole position ahead of Saturday's Miami E-Prix at the Homestead Miami Speedway!

Nato with pole position beat his former Andretti teammate Jake Dennis in the knockout duels 1v1 final with a 1:23.037. His time was 0.129 quicker than that of Dennis and the British driver would have to settle for second place and was denied three world championship points.

The Nissan driver got to the final following victory against Envision Racing's Robin Frijns in the semi-final contest, which was impressive. Frijns having a strong session as the Dutchman had topped the Group B session - the group that Nato competed in to get to the knockout duels.

Dennis did get to the final to face his former Andretti teammate after beating third in the drivers' championship Antonio Felix Da Costa to progress.

It was an opportunity for Da Costa, to get championship points on the two drivers in the championship above him, who were Oliver Rowland and Taylor Barnard. Both British drivers would fail to make the knockout duels and both would be in different groups. 

An opportunity missed for Rowland and for Barnard too, with Barnard having been fastest in the day's earlier Free Practice 2 session. Ultimately it was not to be this time around for the 20-year old.

Along with Rowland and Barnard, big shock eliminations from the group stages of qualifying were Nick Cassidy, two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne and the reigning Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein!

He will start the later day's Miami E-Prix from pole position, which will be the very first Formula E race to ever take place at the Homestead Miami Speedway. The race will begin at 14:00 local time!

2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship: Round 5 - Miami E-Prix starting grid

1. Norman Nato
2. Jake Dennis
3. Antonio Felix Da Costa
4. Robin Frijns
5. Nyck De Vries
6. Stoffel Vandoorne
7. Lucas Di Grassi
8. David Beckmann
9. Pascal Wehrlein
10. Edoardo Mortara
11. Taylor Barnard
12. Sebastian Buemi
13. Nick Cassidy
14. Mitch Evans
15. Dan Ticktum
16. Oliver Rowland
17. Jean-Eric Vergne
18. Nico Mueller
19. Sam Bird
20. Zane Maloney
21. Jake Hughes
22. Maximilian Gunther

Brandon Whiteside
Writer - F1 Journal