It was the 30th of May 2024, The street circuit around the Tokyo Big Sight was a full house. 95% were Japanese, and they all wanted the home team NISSAN to cross the chequered flag first, being the only Japanese carmaker in the competition.
This was the first ever Formula E in Japan. Nissan having pole position after a super qualifying session on Friday fuelled the Japanese hopes. Yours truly too supported Nissan, for many reasons. Let’s get to the race in this write-up though.
It was super organized at Tokyo Big Sight, from the point of entry to the demarcated seats. All seats, even the lowest were numbered, and directed by boards and the personnel. The long walk from the Big Sight railway station to the seats wasn’t a trouble to none, its wall very well planned in sheer Japanese style. Even the parking lots weren’t full, although it was a sold-out event.
The Race
Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther overcame polesitter Oliver Rowland (Nissan) to take the chequered flag first in the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix on Formula E’s first visit to Japan – making it five different winners from the opening five races in Season 10.
However, Rowland’s Nissan kept the top spot up until lap 24, until energy became critical with the race nearing the end. Guenther kept himself in the slipstream of the leader and was able to keep with the Nissan – which had looked very strong on home soil – while saving some usable energy for a final push.
Once Maserati hit the front, Rowland’s Nissan was unable to make a move stick in front of a passionate Nissan support. Guenther fended off three attempts on the final lap and was able to drive to the flag to seal his and Maserati MSG Racing’s first win since Jakarta in Season 9 and his fifth in the series.
Rowland did his utmost to pressure Guenther for the lead but energy became ultra-critical to Nissan where Guenther was able to hold on for the win.
The season so far made it five different race winners, representing five different teams, from the opening five races – the level of competition at the top is as intense as it’s ever been in electric motorsport’s top tier.
For much of the race, no more than a second split the top three runners, while the whole pack sat within 10 seconds of one another. This is another beauty of the electrified version of the F1!
Await the art and culture of Formula E, somewhat differing from Formula 1 with our next article.
About Formula E
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship became the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint from inception back in 2020, having invested in certified climate-protecting projects in all race markets to offset emissions.
All cars in the championship are powered by electricity, with the series acting as a competitive platform to test and develop the latest in electric technology.
The World’s greatest manufacturers race against each other on street circuits and Formula E promotes the adoption of sustainable mobility in city centres in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.