Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther emerged victorious in the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix on Saturday, 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, 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.”
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.
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