DS Techeetah’s current reserve Formula E driver James Rossiter believes that any team would be ‘super lucky’ to have New Zealander Nick Cassidy as one of their drivers. Cassidy obliterated the competition at last week’s Formula E rookie test.
The kiwi set a 1m16.467s in the day’s afternoon session, being the first ever driver to break into the 1m16s bracket, smashing the previous lap record.
Often overlooked amongst the sport’s elite, some of Cassidy’s closest supporters have opened to the public about how much of a vital asset Cassidy would be to any global motor racing team.
“What he’s achieved in Japan has been absolutely incredible,” Rossiter told autosport.com.
“I think the world should really take more notice of what he’s achieved at such a young age [of 25] – to achieve the Triple Crown of Japanese motorsport [winning Japanese F3, Super GT and Super Formula], it’s really really difficult, I can definitely vouch for that.
“I think that any team would be super, super lucky to have Nick drive for them.”
Nick Cassidy is the defending Super Formula Champion in a year that was engrossed with success in both open-wheelers and GT racing.
Alongside his Super Formula title, Cassidy finished runners-up in Japan’s premier sports car class, Super GT.
The kiwi has signed for another campaign in both championships, remaining with factory Super Formula Toyota team TOM’S and changing to race a GR Supra in Super GT after racing for Lexus Team KeePer last year.
Cassidy’s superb performance at the Formula E rookie’s test was demonstrative of his proven ability, though one which has often been marginalised by senior race teams.
Cassidy has made no reference as to whether his test in Marrakesh suggests a potential future seat in the category, centring his focus for 2020 on his current commitments in Japan.
Cassidy, in true New Zealand fashion, waving off his impressive Formula E debut, laughing off his record-beating lap time.
“I just expected everyone else to improve as well,” Cassidy told Autosport.com.
“So it wasn’t until I saw the timing and it was all done, it was kind of like ‘wow, that’s a fairly good gap’.”
