Maserati MSG Racing’s Max Guenther confirmed his team’s resurgent form in 2024 to win the first ever Tokyo E-Prix, becoming the fifth winner in five races in this year’s FIA Formula E World Championship.
Starting from second, the German resisted the late challenge of polesitter Oliver Rowland, who was unable to manage his energy in the final stages. Jake Dennis completed the podium, with the Tag Heuer Porsche duo of Antonio Felix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein fourth and fifth. Edoardo Mortara finished sixth but was disqualified for battery overuse, promoting ABT Cupra’s Nico Mueller to the top six, with Nick Cassidy seventh after a fine drive from 19th on the grid. Robin Frijns, Sergio Sette Camara and Sacha Fenestraz completed the top 10. Norman Nato was given a time penalty for a clash with Envision Racing’s Robin Frijns, but was later overturned, handing the Frenchman back his sixth place.
Despite Cassidy’s strong performance, it would mostly be a weekend to forget for Jaguar TCS Racing on what was their 100th FIA Formula E race, with Mitch Evans – also his 100th race – finishing 14th.
HOW THE RACE UNFOLDED
At the start, Rowland held the lead with Mortara getting the jump on Guenther into second. Both Andrettis started well, with Dennis up into fourth and Norman Nato into ninth. With much of the field bunching-up, Wehrlein took fifth from Sette Camara on lap three, and tried to muscle his way past Dennis, but the Brit got his elbows out and held firm. Frijns also made good progress, moving up to sixth on lap four.
On lap six, Jake Hughes planted his NEOM McLaren into the wall after being forced wide by Lucas di Grassi, but was able to reverse out and continue. Wehrlein was the first of the top six to take Attack Mode on lap nine, holding-on to his fifth place, followed by Mortara on lap 11, who resumed behind Guenther in third. Rowland would use two Attack Modes in quick succession, keeping his lead after the first, but then briefly releasing Guenther after the second, before the German let the Nissan back through after his own.
On Lap 17, da Costa dived down the inside of Dennis fourth, with Guenther complaining about Rowland’s staunch defence of his lead over the radio. One lap later, Mitch Evans compromised an already-miserable race, suffering damage whilst attempting to overtake Sette Camara, with di Grassi and de Vries also involved. Nato, Frijns and Wehrlein looked racey in their pursuit of Dennis, with Wehrlein damaging his front wing in the process, and Dennis finally opting for Attack Mode for the first time. The race would soon be neutralised, however, with the deployment of the Safety Car in order to clear the debris from Evans’ Jaguar, who was now down in 18th but still in the race – Di Grassi and de Vries would retire.
Racing resumed on lap 24, with Guenther breezing past Rowland into the lead two laps later, the Brit appearing to be unable to conserve his battery well enough. Guenther opted for Attack Mode with enough of a buffer ahead of Rowland to maintain his lead on lap 28. The Nissan was able to catch back up, with the leading duo starting to leave the others behind.
On lap 31, Mortara released da Costa and Dennis, who nearly collided with the Mahindra as he rejoined the racing line after using his Attack Mode. One lap later, Nato and Frijns came together with the Dutchman dropping down to 10th, complaining on the radio that Nato left him no room. The Andretti man was given a time penalty for the move.
On the penultimate lap, da Costa managed to get side-by-side with Rowland but was unable to make his move stick, leaving Dennis free to take the Porsche for third.
As the leading pack entered the final lap, Rowland swarmed all over the back of Guenther, with both men on their final per cent of battery. Desperate to get past the Maserati, Rowland tried everything in his armoury to retake the lead, but Guenther defended valiantly, and took the chequered flag to take his and Maserati’s first win of the season, his second for the team and his fifth overall in Formula E.
Cassidy leaves Japan still leading the Drivers’ Championship, but level on points with Wehrlein, on 63. Rowland’s third successive podium finish sees him third with 54, Dennis just behind on 53, with Guenther now fifth on 48 points. Evans drops from third to sixth, tying with Jean-Eric Vernge on 39 points.
Jaguar still maintain a lead in the Teams’ Championship with 102 points, 19 ahead of Porsche in second. Nissan are third with 63, one point ahead of Andretti with DS Penske and NEOM McLaren fifth and sixth.
