2025 Formula E: Maserati, Nissan win Tokyo E-Prix

Stoffel Vandoorne from Maserati and Oliver Rowland from Nissan stood out as the primary victors in a thrilling Tokyo E-Prix that featured two contrasting races.

Mahindra Racing managed to maintain its position in third place overall in the team championship. However, this round marked a missed opportunity for the Indian outfit. Despite being in contention for podium finishes in both events, they concluded the Tokyo E-Prix with just eight points.

1. Vandoorne secures Race 1 victory, with Rowland and Barnard following
2. Rowland clinches Race 2, finishing ahead of Wehrlein and Ticktum

Maserati Masters Race Strategy

Vandoorne Achieves His First Formula E Win in Three Years

With qualifying sessions canceled owing to heavy rainfall, the starting grid for the first race was determined by the times recorded in Free Practice 2. Initially, Rowland, the pole sitter and leader in the championship, held his ground. However, a red flag due to Max Guenther’s vehicle stopping on the track changed the dynamics entirely.

At that moment, Vandoorne was the sole participant to have completed his Pit Boost fast charging stop. Foreseeing the possibility of a mid-race halt due to the challenging weather, Maserati adopted an alternative racing strategy. Vandoorne aggressively expended his energy early, which proved to be a crucial move, allowing him to take the lead while others pitted for the required Pit Boost.

“I had almost forgotten the feeling of winning! It’s strange because it’s somewhat unexpected, but I was aware it was entirely within our reach,” expressed Vandoorne, celebrating his first victory since Monaco in 2022, a span of over three years.

“We employed an audacious strategy: using a significant amount of energy earlier to open our pit window right away. Being first into the pit lane helped us separate from the rest, which we accomplished. It’s fantastic when a plan comes together; every small strategy we discussed pre-race unfolded perfectly. Such synchronicity is rare in Formula E, and today was one of those exceptional occasions.”

Rowland finished in second place, followed by Taylor Barnard from McLaren, who took third.

Nissan Triumphs on Home Ground

Rowland Expands His Championship Lead

Rowland bounced back in the second race, which unfolded under clear weather conditions. After a delayed Attack Mode activation, he initially dropped to sixth place. However, he perfectly timed his second Attack Mode deployment and utilized the increased power to charge into second position, right behind race leader Pascal Wehrlein.

With 40 seconds of Attack Mode still in play, Rowland capitalized on Wehrlein’s depletion of boost. A nail-biting wheel-to-wheel duel ensued, with Rowland ultimately securing the win. Dan Ticktum finished third, marking his inaugural podium appearance in Formula E.

Challenges for Mahindra Racing

Indian Squad Maintains Third Place Overall

Mahindra Racing’s choice to prioritize one-lap speed during Free Practice 2 proved beneficial, especially with qualifying being canceled. This strategy placed Edoardo Mortara in the second position on the grid, with teammate Nyck de Vries starting fifth.

However, problems with Attack Mode activation cost Mortara a chance at the podium. He finished the first race in sixth place, which was the only point earned by the team over the weekend. De Vries ended up in eighth position but faced a five-second penalty for an incident involving Mitch Evans, which relegated him to eleventh.

During the second race, Mortara appeared to be in contention for a podium yet again. Unfortunately, a five-second penalty for a collision with Barnard pushed him back to twelfth place. De Vries, after sustaining damage early in the race, opted to manage his energy, hoping for a Safety Car appearance. Though the Safety Car was deployed with three laps remaining, it was too late for him, and he finished in fifteenth position.

Mahindra Racing’s CEO, Frederic Bertrand, reflected on the weekend, stating, “While we have shown exceptionally strong performance all season, this team and car are still evolving. There will be weekends with lessons to take away but I see this as a positive experience; there’s much to learn during difficult times compared to when everything goes right, as history shows from last season.”

Bertrand acknowledged the “many positives” from Tokyo: “[We] still earned points this weekend and maintain third place in the World Championship, ahead of several significant global manufacturers, marking substantial progress compared to last year. It’s a minor setback, but our journey continues.”

2025 Formula E Championship Standings

With his fourth victory of the season, Rowland has carved out a 77-point advantage in the championship standings over Wehrlein. Antonio Felix da Costa sits in third place, just 11 points behind his Porsche teammate Wehrlein.

In the teams’ championship, Nissan leads with a 15-point margin over Porsche. Mahindra remains a considerable distance behind in third, currently 58 points adrift of Porsche, with McLaren trailing in fourth, nine points behind Mahindra.

The Formula E series will next head to Shanghai for another double-header scheduled for May 31 and June 1.

2025 Tokyo E-Prix, Round 8 Results

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