Formula E raced the Tokyo E-Prix, in Japan, for the first time in the history of the championship. The race was won by Maximilian Guenther, who conquered the first success of Maserati in 2024.
The electric championship flew to Japan for the fifth round of Season 10, after the fourth appointment in Brazil. The E-Prix took place in Tokyo Bay, on a circuit that offers 20 turns on 2.585 kilometers. On the track are also present four chicanes and the fraction between Turn 3 and Turn 7 is the perfect stage for overtakes, with the Attack Zone positioned outside Turn 4. On Saturday afternoon, it was Oliver Rowland from Nissan to take the pole position, becoming the hero of the local fans, ready to root for the Japanese team during the race.
The actual E-Prix, which took place later in the afternoon, saw Maximilian Guenther stepping on the top of the podium, followed by Rowland and Jake Dennis. The German is the fifth winner in five races. Looking at the general standing, Pascal Wehrlein is on top with 63 points, followed by Nick Cassidy who has 61 points, while third place is Oliver Rowland with 54. The team ranking sees Jaguar first with 100 points. The British team has also raced its 100th race in Formula E. The second place is in Porsche’s hands with 83 points, while in third position there is Andretti with 70.
The Tokyo E-Prix – An actual show
Formula E organized the event in the best way possible, creating an exciting atmosphere. Porsche arrived in the city with a brand-new livery, changing the color of its cars from black to pink. New livery also for the home team Nissan, which created a white car with cherry blossoms on it.
In Tokyo, we wear pink 🇯🇵
A closer look at @PorscheFormulaE and @NISMO's special #TokyoEPrix livery 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xj4hoxu6GO
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) March 29, 2024
Before the start of the weekend, the category announced the artistic collaboration with Kataru Kato, the founder of Liberty Walk. The Japanese legend created a special livery exposed in the fan village, inspired by the anime series Cyber Formula. During the two race days, the paddock was filled with fans and special guests. The Japanese Yuki Tsunoda, Formula 1 driver for Visa CashApp Racing Bulls, went to the circuit to follow his home weekend, along with the other Japanese driver Takuma Sato and the legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The real star of the weekend, outside the track, has been Sung Kang, the famous actor for ‘Fast and Furious’, who collaborated with Formula E for a video inspired by ‘Tokyo Drift’.
This is our kind of party ⚡️
Stick around for the ULTIMATE cameo 😮💨#TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/3vSWoxsYRK
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) March 29, 2024
The success of the event
The Japanese appointment has been a success. Just before the race, Formula E announced a record-breaking growth in viewership and fan engagement. Season 10 collected a 40% increase in cumulative TV viewership in the first four races. The audience grew from 62 million in Season 9 to the actual 86 million. Only a few hours later, tons of fans arrived in Tokyo to attend the great event. Formula E opens a new era, trying to find an important place in the Asian market. The greatness and engagement of the Tokyo E-Prix prove that it is the right way to do so.
