Formula E remains in Tokyo for the ninth round of Season 11. Stoffel Vandoorne, winner of Race 1, will try to repeat his success on Sunday.
Formula E: Round 9 in Tokyo
A visit to Tokyo is no novelty for the Formula E calendar. The World Championship already stopped here in 2024, but this is the first time the city hosts a double-header. Teams and drivers were on track on Saturday, 17 May, and will return to action on Sunday, 18 May, for Round 9.
This is the season’s third double-header, with three more still to come: Shanghai, Berlin and London. In Saturday’s race, teams had to factor in the Pit Boost, which shook up strategy.
The mandatory pit stop will not feature in Sunday’s contest, which follows the standard format. As usual, each race has its qualifying session.
A twin-bill forces teams and drivers to keep to a packed timetable, but they are now accustomed to it. Monaco hosted the year’s second double-header two weeks ago. Oliver Rowland won the opening race, while a surprise victory went to Sébastien Buemi in the second.
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What happened in Race 1 at the Tokyo E-Prix
Tokyo promises another spectacular show. Last year, the event was hugely popular, and among the ten teams, Nissan shone on its home streets.
In 2024, Rowland secured pole and finished second, just behind Maximilian Guenther. Season 10 confirmed the dominance of the Nissan powertrain in Tokyo, and it remained strong in the first race this weekend.
Rowland clinched pole after qualifying was cancelled due to heavy rain. The race itself was tricky, with both the Pit Boost and the weather acting as wild cards. Stoffel Vandoorne triumphed, finishing ahead of Rowland and Taylor Barnard.
Last ➡️ First🏆
Here’s how @svandoorne timed it to perfection in a rain-hit #TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/tXBPqmU49F
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2025
The Belgian celebrated his first victory in three years. Driving for Maserati, he executed a winning strategy by taking his Pit Boost first, moments before the red flag. In the closing laps, he found himself clear at the front with a healthy cushion.
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Porsche and Nissan Duel
Round 8 was eventful 👀
After penalties were handed down, here’s how the standings look following the #TokyoEPrix 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/8Rv30Wltg2
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2025
In the drivers’ standings, Rowland leads António Félix da Costa by 60 points, but the teams’ battle is still wide open. After Race 1 in Tokyo, Nissan edged ahead of Porsche, 144 points to 139.
Race 2 offers another valuable points haul. Porsche hopes to close the gap in the drivers’ championship and regain the teams’ lead. Inside the German camp, an intra-team duel is developing: Da Costa is second on 73 points, while Pascal Wehrlein lies fourth with 66.
Nissan, meanwhile, dreams of a home victory. A strong result would allow Rowland to extend his lead in the World Drivers’ Championship and help the team pull further clear of Porsche.
Maximilian Guenther should not be overlooked either. The German won last year’s Tokyo race, ahead of Rowland and Jake Dennis. Race 1 this weekend was cut short for his DS Penske car by a technical issue, and he now aims to score significant points in Round 9.
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Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / PsnewZ
Recording Date: 17.05.2025
AloJapan.com