Tokyo 2024 ePrix: Presentation and Stakes

Four different winners from four different teams powered by three different engines. That’s the assessment after four races of season 10 of Formula E. After Pascal Wehrlein in Mexico, Jack Dennis and Nyck Cassidy in Diriyah and finally Sam Bird in São Paulo, it’s hard to say who will succeed in the first edition of the Tokyo ePrix, scheduled for this weekend on the streets of the Japanese capital.

A first for Formula E in Japan

The Formula E will discover a new destination. After races in India, South Africa, and Brazil last year, the electric single-seater championship will stop in the land of the rising sun for the first time in its history.

The Tokyo race is part of the climate action plan implemented by the city, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2050.

“I am delighted with the official decision that Tokyo will host a Formula E race in March 2024,” said the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, on the occasion of the official announcement of the arrival of the FE. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is accelerating actions in all areas to achieve a zero-emission Tokyo, an environmentally advanced city that does not emit carbon dioxide, focusing on promoting the use of zero-emission vehicles.”

The Japanese capital is already registered to host a second ePrix in 2025, for the 11th season of Formula E.

A route drawn between the exhibition halls of the Tokyo Big Sight.

With a length of just over 2.5 kilometers and located near the seafront, the Tokyo circuit winds through the streets adjacent to the city’s convention center, named Tokyo Big Sight. A lap consists of 20 corners alternating between fast sections and very twisty ones.

The first part of the tour thus includes eight tight turns in the pure tradition of street circuits where any mistake is costly. The rest features long straight lines interspersed with chicanes or right-angled turns.

Nissan to shine at home

In addition to the Porsche and Jaguar favorites, another manufacturer has made an impression at the start of this Formula E season. This is the manufacturer who will be racing at home this weekend. Nissan has indeed achieved two consecutive podiums and a pole position with Oliver Rowland. But more importantly, the Japanese engine won under the bodywork of Sam Bird’s McLaren in São Paulo two weeks ago.

Sponsored by the ePrix of Tokyo, Nissan intends to continue on its momentum and maybe even achieve a victory that has escaped them since season 6. Despite facing more challenges since the beginning of the season with only one points finish in four races, Sasha Fenestraz, who is familiar with Japan having raced there between 2019 and 2022, will also aim to get closer to the top positions and emulate his teammate’s performances in the recent races.

Finally, let’s not forget DS Penske as contenders for victory. The Franco-American team is often comfortable on new circuits, as shown by Jean-Eric Vergne last season with his victory in Hyderabad and second place in Cape Town.

The start of the Tokyo ePrix will be given on Saturday, March 30 at 7am (French time).