SportsNews

Fenestraz: Ex-team-mate Rowland “on a par with Verstappen”

Published

1 year ago

October 10, 2024

Oliver Rowland, Nissan Formula E Team, 3rd position, with team mates including Sacha Fenestraz, Nissan Formula E Team, celebrate at the podium ceremony © Autosport.com

Sacha Fenestraz believes one of the reasons his time in Formula E came to a premature end is because he failed to match team-mate Oliver Rowland, who he claims “is easily on a par” with Max Verstappen.

The French-Argentine endured a difficult sophomore season in the all-electric championship for Nissan, claiming only five points finishes from 16 races and ending the campaign 17th in the drivers’ standings.

This was in stark contrast with Rowland, the Briton claiming two wins in Misano and London and being a championship challenger for much of the season on his return to Nissan.

Speaking to exclusively to Autosport’s sister site, Motorsport Latam, Fenestraz said several factors meant he was unable to showcase the same flashes of speed seen during his maiden season, including being up against Rowland, who he compared with three-time Formula 1 champion Verstappen.

“I came into the season saying to myself ‘I want to be the leader of the team, I want to beat him’ but I think it was unrealistic because we are talking about Rowland, who was in his seventh season in Formula E,” he said.

“For me it was only my second season, it’s a championship that if you look at it, all the drivers at the front are drivers who have been in Formula E for years, they have a lot of experience, they are also much older drivers.

“And me, at 24 years old [at the time], I don’t have the same experience as a driver like him and also, Oliver at his best is easily on a par with Verstappen.

“He’s very good friends with Verstappen and this year Verstappen was telling Oliver that it’s a pity he’s not in Formula 1 because he’d be overshadowing him, so people inside motorsport know the potential he has.”

Oliver Rowland, Nissan Formula E Team, 3rd position, with team mates including Sacha Fenestraz, Nissan Formula E Team, celebrate at the podium ceremony

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Fenestraz also revealed he had been assured by Nissan’s management that he would be retained for the 2024/25 season at the start of August and see out the final year of a three-year contract.

But he claimed he found out through social media less than a month later he had been let go having been replaced by former team-mate Norman Natoand that “I didn’t take it well”.

Fenestraz had also turned down another team’s offer to drive in Formula E prior to being let go by Nissan but with testing for the new season commencing in less than a month and only two spots yet to be announced on the grid, both at ERT, he has had to turn his attention to other championships.

Why F2’s nearly man made the right choice walking away with title on the line

This includes a return to Super Formula, where Fenestraz was prior to his two-year stint in Formula E after finishing runner-up in 2022, as well as the World Endurance Championship having been offered a works drive with an unnamed team.

“Fortunately, I have offers, there are opportunities out there,” said Fenestraz.

“The truth is that we have the possibility of returning to Japan with Nissan or Toyota.

“Also, now I received an offer for a double programme with WEC and IMSA, with a LMDH car, with a manufacturer.

“I have a meeting with my manager in London and from there we will say what to do and announce. I think it will be announced between now and November or December for sure, but the decision from my side will be very soon.”

SportsNews

EPL: Full list of players leaving for 2025 AFCON

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

At least 25 players in the Premier League are set to travel for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DR Congo lead the way in terms of players based in the English topflight, with four selected from each club for the AFCON.

FIFA has directed clubs to release the eligible players from Monday, December 15.

Full list of players confirmed

Sunderland (5):
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo).

Manchester United (3):
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

Fulham (3):
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).

Burnley (3):
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).

Nottingham Forest (2):
Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).

Brentford (2):
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).

Manchester City (1):
Omar Marmoush (Egypt),

West Ham United (1):
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)

Wolves (2):
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).

Brighton & Hove Albion (1):
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).

Crystal Palace (2):
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali)

Liverpool (1):
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)

SportsNews

NNL bars fans from Ranchers Bees vs Adamawa United

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.

The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.

Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.

Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.

The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.

The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).

SportsNews

Nigeria vs Egypt Friendly Gets New Date

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have taken a fresh hit, with Egypt confirming that the highly anticipated friendly between both nations has been shifted from 14 to 16 December.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the adjustment late Friday, noting that FIFA’s updated international release directive, which allows clubs keep African players until 15 December, made the original date unworkable.

EFA Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly explained that the new rule left both Egypt and Nigeria without full squads for the initial date.

Key Pharaohs players, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, are now expected to arrive only after the new release window.

Egypt had already named its 28-man provisional squad and opened camp in Cairo, with head coach Hossam Hassan accelerating final preparations for a Group B campaign that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.

Nigeria’s disruption is more extensive. The Super Eagles were originally scheduled to open camp on 10 December and progress through a streamlined friendly schedule before departing for Morocco. That entire framework has now been dismantled.

Under the revised timeline, camp will open on 14 December, leaving Eric Chelle with barely a week to prepare before AFCON kicks off.

The venue for the friendly is also now uncertain, with Cairo no longer feasible and both federations considering shifting the match to Morocco.

Nigeria’s build-up has been further destabilised by injuries to Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu.

The shock retirement of captain William Troost-Ekong, winner of the 2023 AFCON Player of the Tournament award, creates an additional leadership vacuum in defence.

Chelle, who released a 55-man provisional list, must now trim his squad to 28 within a compressed window. Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania as they chase a fourth continental title.