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Nissan retain Sam Bird and Abbi Pulling for Formula E GEN4
Sam Bird and Abbi Pulling will continue in Nissan’s Formula E operation for 2026/27, supporting the team as it prepares for the GEN4 era.
Nissan will retain Sam Bird and Abbi Pulling in its Formula E operation for the 2026/27 campaign, with both continuing to support the team as it prepares for the championship’s GEN4 era.
The pair will work alongside full-time drivers Oliver Rowland and Zane Maloney. Bird remains reserve and development driver, while Pulling continues as rookie and simulator driver. Their work will include simulator preparation and on-site support. Nissan has previously confirmed its driver line-up for the new era in its announcement on Rowland and Maloney.
Bird brings race experience to Nissan’s GEN4 preparations
Bird joined Nissan in November 2025 after competing in Formula E from the championship’s inaugural season through the end of 2024/25. He has 12 race wins and secured at least one victory in each of his first seven seasons, a run the source says no other driver has matched. He has also won races in all three generations of car used by the series.
His current role includes simulator and test work as Nissan develops its understanding of the new car. The team has spent time configuring its simulator to represent GEN4’s features, with the aim of giving Rowland and Maloney a more accurate preparation tool. Bird will continue working with Nissan’s engineering and strategy groups as well as its drivers.
Pulling continues in rookie and simulator role
Pulling, an F1 Academy champion and GB3 race winner, will remain Nissan’s rookie and simulator driver. She has taken part in the team’s Women’s Test, Miami Free Practices and the Madrid Rookie Test, and is an established presence in the Formula E paddock. Nissan has also announced her participation in a rookie test at Jarama.
Her programme will again combine simulator work with track sessions. Pulling is set to begin exploring the GEN4 car in the simulator, with the possibility of further running on race weekends. She has described the incoming car as a challenge for everyone, while expressing enthusiasm about working with it.
Bird and Pulling will continue their work with the team ahead of pre-season testing at Circuito del Jarama in Spain, from 16 to 20 November. The test will come as Nissan builds towards the start of Season 13 with its confirmed race drivers and experienced support pairing.