DS Penske had key to success in Formula E Tokyo E-Prix

There are days when things don’t go as one might have hoped, and when valiant drivers aren’t rewarded. While a podium finish – or even a victory – seemed within reach for the young Taylor Barnard, neither the weather nor the course of the race went in his favour.

As has often been the case during this week in Tokyo, the sun was out in the morning, then the sky clouded over in the early afternoon. This Sunday in July was no exception, and a thunderstorm darkened the sky. The heavy rain pouring down on the Tokyo circuit meant that all the competitors had to be moved to a safer location than the garages, and also led to the cancellation of the weekend’s third practice session.

It was therefore not until qualifying – on a track that was in slightly better condition but still had wet patches – that the two DS Penske cars were seen in action. In the first of the two groups, Barnard seemed at ease. After a very solid final lap, he finished third in the session, just seven thousandths of a second behind Mich Evans’s Jaguar.

In Group B, Guenther was also on the pace. However, his best lap was disallowed for edging too close to the track limits – always a tricky balancing act during a time attack session. Barnard then faced Evans in the quarter-finals. The duel promised to be electric, but the young British driver squeezed every last drop of performance from his DS E-Tense FE25. Without making a single mistake on a track that was starting to dry out, he beat his New Zealand opponent by more than half a second. In the semi-final, he faced another Jaguar, driven by Antonio Felix Da Costa. This time, however, he was unable to make up for a slight deficit incurred in Sector 1 and finished fourth.

A race packed with drama

Turning a good starting position into a strong result is what Barnard is all about. For Guenther, 14th on the grid, good energy management can also make all the difference, while both cars from the Franco-American team had shown good pace throughout the weekend. This time the race was over 33 laps instead of the previous day’s 36, and the drivers had eight minutes of Attack Mode at their disposal.

However, the Pit Boost stop – which was mandatory yesterday – was not on the cards. This forces the teams to completely rethink their strategy, especially as the rain will once again throw a spanner in the works. At the start, race control decides to run a lap behind the safety car. Everything proceeds normally, but when the lights go out, caution prevails and everyone holds their positions. Weather data predicted a reduction in rainfall around 8:15pm, and everyone is waiting for the best moment to activate the first of their two Attack Modes.

The DS Penske cars were biding their time, and amongst the frontrunners, Barnard set a good example in terms of energy conservation, settling into third position. The energy meters show him at 72%, compared with 68% and 69% for the top two. Comfortable at the wheel of his DS E-Tense FE25, the young British driver pulled away from the pack. But Pepe Marti’s Cupra Kiro went off the track, bringing the race to a standstill for a few moments under a Full Course Yellow while the car was cleared. When the race restarted, it was halfway through the race and the track was still drying out.

It was at this point that Barnard managed to activate a four-minute Attack Mode without losing any positions. It was a shrewd move that he capitalised on after making up the nearly three seconds that separated him from Edoardo Mortara. First overtaking the Mahindra driver, then, in a very successful manoeuvre, Da Costa’s Jaguar, he took the lead. There were then 13 laps remaining – 234 corners and almost as many opportunities to be attacked. The three frontrunners still had four minutes of Attack Mode left and anything could happen, but Barnard still held a 2% battery lead.

Victory in his sights

Leading by two seconds, the young British driver kept an eye on his rear-view mirror, watching his pursuers. In the DS Penske garage, the pressure is mounting as a potential victory looms. Barnard has never been this close to his first Formula E win. But just as Da Costa and Mortara have to ease off slightly to conserve energy, Rowland emerges from nowhere and moves into the leading group.

Instantly, Barnard springs into action and activates his Attack Mode in a bid to reclaim the lead. But energy levels are starting to even out, overtaking manoeuvres are becoming more frequent, and the various energy strategies being employed are shaking up the established order. It’s a mad race, and with two laps to go, a collision involving several cars prompts the race directors to bring out the red flag.

Taylor Barnard, DS Penske

Photo by: DPPI

The cars still in the running return to their pits to await the signal for a restart, with Barnard having dropped back to ninth position, just ahead of his team-mate Guenther. These positions would remain unchanged until the finish line, with Barnard’s skilful driving and the four places gained by Guenther receiving only modest recognition.

The next – and final – round of the season will take place in London on 15-16 August.

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