Following a mixed start to the season, Norman Nato is feeling "confident" ahead of this weekend's São Paulo E-Prix, after spending the six-week break analysing his previous Andretti performances.
Since moving from Nissan to Andretti, Nato has settled in well, with his highlight so far having been P6 in the opening race of the Diriyah double-header.
However, that was back at the end of January, meaning he's been out of his new car for quite some time. This is far from ideal for the Frenchman, who is continuing to get accustomed with the Porsche powertrain.
The inaugural race in São Paulo 12 months ago was a disappointing one for Nato, who retired from the race. Nevertheless, he believes there is more to come from himself and Andretti this weekend.
"Racing in Brazil is always a memorable experience," said Nato. "The São Paulo circuit has its unique challenges with its notoriously bumpy track surface and difficult braking zones. The warm, humid climate also adds an extra layer of intensity to the race.
"Having not been behind the wheel since Diriyah in January, I'm looking forward to getting back into racing and seeing where we have improved the car. We’ve had a lot of time since Saudi Arabia to analyze the first three races and I’m confident in the team that we can unlock even more performance. See you in Brazil!"
'Slipstream style' will return
Nato's current teammate reigning World Champion Jake Dennis also failed to finish in Brazil last season, after being hit by Dan Ticktum.
It means Andretti don't have the fondest memories of the venue, although Team Principal Roger Griffiths believes the team has made significant progress since the last time Formula E visited South America.
"The São Paulo E-Prix will likely see a return to the highly entertaining slipstream style of racing that Formula E became known for," Griffiths said. "The combination of long straights leading into tight corners creates opportunity for overtaking and numerous position changes.
"The team struggled last time out in Brazil, so much emphasis has been placed on righting the challenges from last season. We certainly feel a good amount of progress has been made since this time last year.
"Neither Jake nor Norman, who was driving for Nissan, finished the race last year due to contact, so I’m sure both are looking to make amends there."
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