Vergne banks points in wet Tokyo Formula E opener

Rain disrupted the first of two Formula E races held this weekend on the streets of Tokyo, as Jean-Eric Vergne secured a well-deserved ninth place after spending some time in the top five in a race marked by interruptions and unpredictable weather.

Just two weeks after the Monaco round, the Formula E paddock set up camp in Japan for the second Tokyo E-Prix. Optimism was the order of the day for the Franco-American DS Penske team: Vergne, voted Driver of the Day at the second E-Prix in Monaco, was hoping to take advantage of the wet conditions forecast, which often suit him well. His engineers shared his hopes, as his DS E-Tense FE25 had already proven its speed on a slippery track.

His team-mate, Max Guenther, who won here in 2024 with Maserati (DS Penske’s sister team), also had high ambitions. The German deprived Nissan of a home victory by overtaking Oliver Rowland, the current championship leader, in the final corner of the race.

A revised track and tricky weather conditions

For this second edition, the organisers made a few adjustments to the Tokyo track, particularly at Turn 3, which was previously a critical point where the cars would lift off, risking damage to the batteries and chassis. Before the rain set in for good on the 2.575km street circuit (18 corners, including three chicanes), the drivers were able to complete a few laps on a dry track on Friday.

Vergne, who still holds the record for pole positions in Formula E (17), performed well, as did Guenther, who finished second in the first free practice session (and first in 300 kW mode).
But at the start of the second free practice session on Saturday morning, the forecast showers arrived and were torrential. The DS Penske cars showed determination, setting out early to gather as much data as possible. Resisting pressure from other competitors, the DS Penske drivers remained cautious and posted the eighth and ninth fastest times, which would prove decisive.

Due to the track becoming impossible to run on safely, qualifying was cancelled. The starting grid was therefore set at the end of the second free practice session, with Vergne and Guenther retaining their positions in the middle of the field.

A stop-start but strategic race

Despite the unstable weather, the race got underway with a slight delay. The start was initially behind the safety car, which remained on the track for five laps. Once released according to the normal start procedure, the cars were able to activate their Attack mode, crucial for gaining traction on the wet track.

The DS Penske cars bided their time, launching their attack a few corners later. But after a total of 14 laps, there was a dramatic turn of events: Guenther, who was in the top 10, retired due to a battery problem. The red flag was waved. At the restart, Vergne was in eighth place, two places behind his compatriot Norman Nato. A master strategist, the two-time world champion held his position before losing ground in the final laps, crossing the finish line in ninth place and securing the points.

With this eventful first race, Tokyo marks the transition to the second half of the season. The weather is expected to be more favourable for the second race scheduled for Sunday, although a few showers are still possible.