Maximilian Guenther secures victory for Maserati MSG Racing in the first Tokyo E-Prix, overcoming Oliver Rowland’s early lead with Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida and Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike in attendance
This latest result in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship reiterates its competitive reputation, with five different winners in five races for Season 10 so far
Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team leads the Drivers’ Championship, with Jaguar TCS Racing leading the Teams’ Championship, heading into the next race, the double-header of the Misano E-Prix
The event unfolded before a star-studded crowd, including Formula 1 sensation Yuki Tsunoda, Sung Kang of Fast & Furious fame, motorsport legends Emerson Fittipaldi and Takumo Sata, along with television host and actor, Emilia Hartford
Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther emerged victorious in the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix, triumphing over polesitter Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team), marking a historic moment as Formula E adds yet another race winner to its already too-close-to-call line-up for Season 10.
In a thrilling display of skill and strategy, Maximilian Guenther of Maserati MSG Racing clinched victory in the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix, held in Japan for the first time in Formula E history. Guenther’s win, achieved after a strategic move to the front on Lap 24, marks his team’s first triumph since Jakarta in Season 9 and his fifth career win in the series.
Guenther’s path to victory was not without its challenges, however, as he faced stiff competition from polesitter Oliver Rowland, defending in front of a home crowd for Nissan Formula E Team. The German driver expertly positioned himself in Rowland’s slipstream, preserving energy for a decisive push towards the end of the race. Despite Rowland’s best efforts to reclaim the lead in front of enthusiastic Nissan supporters, Guenther successfully defended his position, thwarting three attempts on the final lap.
The Tokyo E-Prix also saw a continuation of the season’s trend, with five different race winners representing five different teams in the opening five races of Season 10. This level of competition has intensified the championship race, with the top three runners often separated by less than a second and the entire pack within 10 seconds of each other.
Reigning Drivers’ Champion, Jake Dennis, of Andretti Formula E Team showcased his skill as he crossed the line in third, ahead of Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team duo Antonio Felix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein, the latter now in the lead of the Drivers’ World Championship.
Nico Mueller of ABT CUPRA Formula E Team secured sixth place, while Nick Cassidy finished seventh, having climbed through the pack from 19th on the grid. Edo Mortara initially finished seventh but was later disqualified for energy overuse.
Following Round 5, the Tokyo E-Prix, Jaguar TCS Racing leads the Teams’ World Championship with 100 points, followed by TAG Heuer Porsche with 83 points. Wehrlein heads to Misano two points clear of Cassidy in the Drivers’ Championship table.
Maximilian Guenther, No. 7, Maserati MSG Racing, said:
“It’s amazing that we’ve raced here. It’s such a nice city and such a nice country. I love the culture, and we’ve felt very welcomed here.
“It’s a great track, it’s very challenging and very technical and then to win the first ever Tokyo E-Prix… it’s a huge feeling. I think in general we can be really proud of what we’ve done this weekend: being in the top 3 in all the sessions, always up there and then to walk away with the winning trophy is great.
“I think we executed the race pretty well, the strategy was good and I pulled off a few good moves to move up and then we defended against Ollie right up until the last lap. It was pretty tight. It definitely wasn’t easy, I think I just surprised him in Turn 10.”
Oliver Rowland, No. 22, NISSAN Formula E Team, said:
“I was just about managing to under-consume and keep him behind before the Safety Car but I knew their targets in terms of energy were probably building, and unfortunately after the Safety Car the target dropped quite significantly. The lap time delta here is quite aggressive in terms of how much lap time you lose to the energy target coming down so I was kind of in a position where if I had stayed out any longer then I probably would have been overtaken by more people.
“I think he did a solid job, it’s one of those things that I think if I could do it again I don’t know what I would do differently. I think we maximised what we could, but it was on the table which is quite frustrating.
“[On his qualifying pole position] I think there was an element of having the big bosses in the garage, knowing the expectation and it’s just incredible to see all the support for Nissan.”
Jake Dennis, No. 1, Andretti Formula E Team, said:
“It’s been a bit of a struggle these past couple of months for me, there’s been some changes inside the car that really haven’t suited me. We’ve generally struggled this year so far, some days were good some days were bad and this weekend was probably the first time I felt ‘at one’ with the car. Fifth today for me felt like pole. I didn’t think I would qualify that high up, but in the race we’re always quick.”
A STAR-STUDDED DEBUT IN TOKYO
The inaugural Formula E Tokyo E-Prix also brought an electrifying moment with Sung Kang, the famed actor and avid car enthusiast best known for his roles in the “Fast and Furious” series, took the helm of the state-of-the-art GEN3 car. Kang’s deep-seated passion for automobiles and Japanese car culture shone through as he expertly piloted the advanced GEN3 vehicle through the exhilarating twists and turns of Tokyo’s street circuit, marking a memorable first drive. The event was further magnified by the presence of high-profile celebrities and motorsport legends, including actor Emelia Hartford, and revered racing icons Emerson Fittipaldi, Takuma Sato, and Yuki Tsunoda, adding an extra layer of glamour and prestige to this landmark occasion.
The next race in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the 2024 Misano E-Prix double-header on 13th-14th April, with more information available here.
