Image: Dom Romney, courtesy of Formula E
It’s race week once again, and for the first time, the FIA Formula E Championship is coming to Japan. The Formula E’s inaugural visit to Japan marks the fifth round of the season, with the previous four races having four different winners. After a crash in the last round in São Paulo, Nick Cassidy, the current leader of Jaguar TCS Racing team, will be looking to bounce back in a country he is familiar with. The New Zealand driver has already won three different championships in Japan, including the Japanese Formula 3 title. Sam Bird, representing NEOM McLaren, will be looking to maintain momentum after securing his first win in Brazil. Pascal Wehrlein of Tag Heuer Porsche and Mitch Evans, Cassidy’s teammate at Jaguar, will also be looking to close the gap at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
THE TRACK
The track, which is 2.585 km long and features 20 turns, runs counterclockwise. It offers a combination of fast corners and slow chicanes, with the most challenging section located in the first sector. Between turns eight and ten, the track showcases its high-speed section, featuring a fast right-hand corner nestled between a short uphill straight and a long back straight. Attack Mode can be activated after exiting turn four.
WHEN TO WATCH
Make sure to set your alarms early! All times below are in GMT:
Friday, March 29:
Free Practice 1 – 07:25
Free Practice 2 – 22:55
Saturday, March 30:
Qualifying – 01:20
Race – 06:03
THE FIRST LOOK at the #TokyoEPrix track map 🇯🇵 Who’s ready? ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/FfekMZb4XP
WEATHER CONDITIONS
Expect rain in the hours leading up to Free Practice 1, with sunshine predicted approximately one hour before the start of the session. The weather on Saturday will be sunny and hot, with temperatures reaching around 21 degrees.
NOTABLE NEWS
DODDS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT MORE RACES IN ASIA
Before this weekend’s race, Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to host an E-Prix in Tokyo. Dodds mentioned that closing the center of Tokyo for an event other than the Tokyo Marathon is unprecedented. He also revealed that tickets for the race sold out in one day. Dodds hinted at Formula E’s intention to further explore the Asian market, which he believes is currently underserved. He stated that Asian markets are the fastest adopters of electric vehicles (EVs) in the world, with China alone representing 38% of new car sales being EVs. Additionally, the Prime Minister of Thailand informed Dodds that 40% of new cars sold in the Thai market are EVs. Dodds sees this as a perfect market for Formula E to explore.
