With Nissan and Cupra Kiro fighting at the sharp end of the Formula E grid, the underperformance of Norman Nato and David Beckmann has put their futures in jeopardy ahead of a decisive Berlin E-Prix.
In the high-stakes world of Formula E, a team is only as strong as its weakest link. For championship contenders Nissan and the ascendant Cupra Kiro team, this axiom has become a painful reality. While Nissan’s Oliver Rowland is dominating the 2025 drivers’ standings and Cupra’s Dan Ticktum consistently punches above his weight, a glaring disparity in performance from their teammates is costing them invaluable points in the fiercely competitive teams’ championship.
As the season enters its critical final stretch, the pressure has reached a boiling point for Nissan’s Norman Nato and Cupra’s David Beckmann. With their contracts on the line, the upcoming double-header at the Berlin E-Prix has transformed from just another race weekend into a career-defining crucible.
The signing of David Beckmann by Cupra Kiro was a surprising move at the start of the season, as it meant parting ways with the dependable Sergio Sette Camara. The team’s gamble was clear: Beckmann, a young German talent, brought crucial experience with the series’ new Porsche powertrain. Expectations were high.
However, twelve races into the sixteen-race calendar, that gamble is yet to pay off. Beckmann remains without a single championship point, a stark contrast to his teammate Dan Ticktum, who sits an impressive fifth in the standings, frequently challenging the sport’s established elite.
While Beckmann has shown fleeting glimpses of promise—notably two appearances in the qualifying duels—these moments have been too few and far between. Recognizable progress has been made, but in a results-driven business, potential doesn’t score points. With just four races remaining to save his seat, the pressure is immense. The upcoming races on home soil in Berlin represent his best, and perhaps last, opportunity to deliver the tangible success his team desperately needs.
At Nissan, the situation is even more dramatic. Oliver Rowland has been the revelation of the season, leading the World Championship with a commanding 172 points. Yet, on the other side of the garage, Norman Nato languishes in 19th place with just 19 points. This staggering 153-point chasm between teammates is unsustainable for a team with title ambitions.
This isn’t a new pattern for Nato. The French driver has only outscored his teammate once in his Formula E career, narrowly beating a rookie Sacha Fenestraz in Season 9. He was significantly outperformed during his stints at Andretti and Venturi, and his current deficit to Rowland is the largest of his career. His best results this season, two sixth-place finishes, are overshadowed by a cruel penalty in Miami that denied him a potential victory. While blameless in that incident, one moment of misfortune cannot mask a season of underperformance.
Nato’s one glimmer of hope lies in his own history. He has a remarkable knack for finishing seasons strongly, having scored over half his career points in the final four races of previous campaigns, including a dominant victory at the Berlin finale in Season 9. However, this time, his fate may be out of his hands. A clash with his WEC commitments means he will miss the Berlin E-Prix, giving a key rival the chance to step into his seat.
Stepping into Nato’s cockpit in Berlin is Sergio Sette Camara, the very driver Kiro dropped to make way for Beckmann. Now serving as Nissan’s reserve, the Brazilian has been handed a golden opportunity. The Berlin double-header is no mere substitute appearance; it is a high-profile audition for a permanent race seat in 2026.
Should Sette Camara impress, score crucial points for Nissan’s teams’ championship bid, and demonstrate the consistency Nato has lacked, the team may be tempted to keep him in the car for the London finale—and beyond. For Sette Camara, it is a shot at redemption; for Nato, it is a threat that could seal his exit from the team.
The precarious situations of Beckmann and Nato are amplified by an increasingly volatile driver market. Major shifts are on the horizon for the 2026 season: McLaren is set to exit the sport, automotive giant Stellantis is reshuffling its brand involvement, and top driver Nick Cassidy is leaving Jaguar.
This game of musical chairs creates power vacuums and opens doors for new talent. A wave of highly-touted rookies, including big names like Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire, are pushing hard for a place on the grid. The success of young talents like Taylor Barnard at McLaren this season has proven that rookies can make an immediate impact, making Beckmann’s scoreless campaign appear all the more disappointing.
For these drivers on the bubble, this weekend is the moment of truth. The Tempelhof Airport Circuit is more than just a racetrack; it’s a career crossroads where every point, and every mistake, will be magnified under the intense spotlight of the Formula E paddock.
