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And that pretty much sums up why the reigning Super Formula champion decided to take the plunge with Envision Virgin Racing, and in doing so give up his status as the number one foreign driver on the Japanese scene. Last year, when Cassidy wrapped up the Super Formula title at Suzuka to complete the ‘triple crown’ of Japanese motorsport (following his 2015 All-Japan Formula 3 and 2017 SUPER GT successes), there was perhaps a feeling that he had pretty much achieved everything there was to achieve in the country, and not long after his 25th birthday. Of course, armed with a lucrative Toyota contract that afforded him the chance to fight for wins and titles in two of the fastest and most professional categories in the world, nobody would have blamed him for staying put and trying to rack up more titles in Japan. But it had been clear for a while that Cassidy’s ambitions went further; permanently staying within his comfort zone isn’t really his style. Just witness his outings in GT3 machinery last year, or his Asian Le Mans LMP2 programme at the start of this year. For Cassidy, there was always a sense of frustration that his stock internationally wasn’t as high as it should be. Indeed, when he topped the FE rookie test in Marrakesh back in February for Envision Virgin, he joked to this writer that one not-particularly-representative lap on a fast-evolving track earned him more column inches than five seasons of racing in Japan. Even if that may not be quite accurate, it painted a vivid picture of his thinking. Nick Cassidy, Rookie Test Driver for Envision Virgin Racing, Audi e-tron FE06 Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Cassidy’s appearance in Morocco came not long after it emerged that he had joined the Julian Jakobi management stable. Considering Jakobi can count some of FE’s biggest stars on his books, including Jean-Eric Vergne, Sam Bird, Lucas di Grassi and Andre Lotterer, it was a clear sign that Cassidy was eyeing up the all-electric series as the next step for his career. Speaking to Motorsport.com late last year, Cassidy made no secret of his admiration for three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Lotterer and the career the German has had, pointing out the fact that he earned his international stardom off the back of success in Japan with TOM’S – the same team with which Cassidy won all three of his Japanese titles. Just as back in the early 2010s LMP1 was the place to be, so FE now is the category that gives drivers the highest salaries and exposure outside of F1 thanks to its sheer depth of manufacturer involvement. So once Cassidy got his foot in the door of the all-electric series with the Marrakesh test, it seemed likely that FE would be where he would head. That’s not to say he would have accepted a drive with any old team just to get his foot in the door, and indeed it’s understood that Cassidy turned down at least two other teams (including Mahindra, which was scrambling for a replacement for Pascal Wehrlein for Berlin and the following season before ultimately settling on Alex Lynn). Having the fall-back option of staying in Japan with Toyota gave him the luxury of being able to wait for an offer that he knew would enable him not to merely make up the numbers in a championship that has become renowned for a relatively high driver ‘churn rate’. It’s also fair to say that the COVID-19 pause ultimately did Cassidy a favour, allowing him to focus solely on working out his future at a time the Japanese motorsport world was on hold, and pushing back the start of the 2020/21 FE season so that it wouldn’t interfere with his existing commitments – although it’s possible that the official test in early December could clash with the penultimate round of Super Formula at Suzuka. Nick Cassidy, Team Tom's Photo by: Masahide Kamio So, what can those who haven’t seen Cassidy in action lately expect of the mild-mannered New Zealander? Besides raw pace, which certainly is in no short supply, his adaptability and ability to work with a team are two great strengths that have contributed to his success in Japan, qualities that will surely serve him well as he looks to establish himself in FE. When he first joined Super Formula in 2017, he did so with the Kondo Racing outfit that had finished eighth in the previous year’s teams’ standings. But, applying what he had learned working with single-seater powerhouse squad Prema in European Formula 3 in late 2015 and ’16, he led a resurgence for the team, culminating in Kondo’s first-ever teams’ title in 2018 and Cassidy only missing out on the drivers’ crown by a solitary point. That led to him joining TOM’S last year, which had struggled in the latter years of the SF14 era, plummeting to sixth in the standings in 2018. But with the arrival of the SF19 chassis coinciding with Cassidy’s move, the Toyota flagship team came away with its first championship in five years. And just in case you needed further convincing of the level in the Japanese series, consider that Cassidy’s title rival Alex Palou finished on the podium in just his second IndyCar road course start last weekend at Road America. In SUPER GT too, Cassidy and his partner in the #37 TOM’S Lexus, Ryo Hirakawa, have been the standout duo of the last three seasons. For the want of just five points (equivalent to a sixth-place finish), the pair could have taken a clean sweep of titles across the Lexus LC era thanks to their staggering level of consistency in a championship that deliberately punishes success with its handicap system to keep things close. Given it was TOM’S that gave Cassidy his big break in 2015, the decision to accept Envision Virgin’s FE offer won’t have been made lightly. And while discussions are ongoing about potentially continuing in SUPER GT for 2021, it’s clear that in the case of clashes FE would have to take priority, and the sheer amount of simulator work required will further limit the time he has available to race in Japan. Just ask Lotterer, who gave up Super Formula and later WEC to focus fully on his FE commitments, first for Techeetah and then Porsche. #37 TOM'S Lexus LC500: Nick Cassidy, Ryo Hirakawa Photo by: Masahide Kamio But keeping the Toyota link alive could help when it comes to Cassidy’s other big international ambition, which is to fight for outright victory at Le Mans. While there are no seats available next year, that could change for 2022, although Cassidy will face competition from former Kondo teammate Kenta Yamashita and newly signed Toyota reserve Nyck de Vries (also a Mercedes FE driver) should there be a driver reshuffle at Cologne. Then there’s Formula 1. When Cassidy’s name was absent from Toyota’s announcement about its Super Formula drivers at the start of the year, there was speculation in the Japanese press that he had landed a reserve role with a grand prix team. While this proved wide of the mark, the 25-year-old’s radar admits F1 is very much still on his radar. While FE has yet to prove itself as a springboard to F1 stardom, the fact that Cassidy’s prowess in Japan has gone largely unnoticed by many in the motorsport world could work in his favour. Despite having been a paid professional driver for a major manufacturer for four years, he goes into FE as a ‘rookie’ and an unknown quantity, but with vastly more experience than a driver making the move from, say, Formula 2. Cassidy will be 26 when the new FE season starts, and while it’s not exactly common to be making your F1 debut at such an age, it should be remembered that fellow Kiwi Brendon Hartley, was coming up for his 28th birthday when Toro Rosso came knocking in 2017. Yes, he only lasted a year-and-a-bit, but the point is Hartley got a chance at the big-time when most people assumed that he would be stuck racing sportscars forever. That the ex-Porsche LMP1 man was in and out the door doesn’t seem to worry Cassidy, though. “It looked tough for him, but I would imagine he’s still proud of the fact he got the shot, and I’m sure he would have learned a lot,” Cassidy told Motorsport.com last year when asked if Hartley’s experience would put him off pursuing a drive in F1. “And he’s still in a good position now, I don’t think he regrets it. So, if the chance was there, I would give it a shot. For sure I believe my performances have been strong enough, and I could step in and do a decent job if I was given the opportunity.” Whether the chance comes or not, only time will tell. But at least Cassidy will have a much better shop window from which to advertise his abilities in FE than he has had in Japan. Nick Cassidy, Lexus Team TOM'S Lexus LC500 Photo by: Masahide Kamio

Series	Formula E
Drivers	Nick Cassidy
Teams	Virgin Racing
Author	Jamie Klein

Motorsport.com's Prime content

Why Cassidy will be no ordinary rookie in Formula E

When Nick Cassidy starts his first Formula E race next January in Santiago, there will be plenty of people watching – the vast majority, most likely – who have seen little of the talented Kiwi in action for the last three years.

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Why Cassidy will be no ordinary rookie in Formula E

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Why Cassidy will be no ordinary rookie in Formula E

When Nick Cassidy starts his first Formula E race next January in Santiago, there will be plenty of people watching – the vast majority, most likely – who have seen little of the talented Kiwi in action for the last three years.

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