Formula E Preview: Tokyo E-Prix - Timings, ways to watch and more
- Vyas Ponnuri
- Jul 23
- 7 min read
Formula E heads to the starry, neon-lit Tokyo skyline for its penultimate weekend of Season 12, the Tokyo E-Prix. With the event being the first to be staged under the lights in the Japanese capital, it only adds yet more excitement and an element of intrigue to an exciting weekend. Plenty of bragging rights remain on the line as the championship battle is set to peak this weekend.
Even in the early days of Formula E’s existence, a race in Japan remained high on the wish list of Formula E’s founder Alejandro Agag and the top brass. While a plan to host the race didn’t materialise at first, the championship bided its time before bringing the all-electric series to Tokyo for the first time in Season 10.
Right from the off, the championship’s decision to visit Japan was vindicated, with a sell-out crowd of 20,000 reported for the inaugural event on the streets. The race lived up to the hype, with home favourites Nissan on pole, as Oliver Rowland finished second to Maximilian Günther on the day.
The positive response and turnout figures prompted Formula E to instate a double-header for Season 11 in 2025, and make the most of their visit to the nation.
A minor tweak made to the circuit for a flowing run down to Turn 17 opened up yet another overtaking opportunity, and delivered two excellent races to another packed audience. With Nissan winning one of the races over the weekend, it would be one of celebration for the team in front of their home crowd.
Once again, heading into 2026, Formula E has made the most of yet another tweak to the event, now staging the Tokyo E-Prix under the lights. It aims to reinforce the widely known image of Tokyo’s nighttime atmosphere, with neon lights and glitzy buildings dominating the skyline during its races.
It only adds more excitement to the weekend, as Formula E’s championship fight reaches a high point for the first time. Jaguar’s Mitch Evans had held a comfortable gap heading into China, but has left the nation with a nine-point deficit to Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein.
Teammate António Félix da Costa and Jake Dennis even bringing themselves into the fray, with the latter’s victory in Sanya lifting him up the order, as he now occupies the top five in the standings.
With Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara also sitting 38 points off the championship lead, the lead group of six drivers will only have one goal heading into Tokyo: Maximise their opportunities and avoid leaving too much to do in the season finale at London.
Formula E’s greatness lies in its unpredictable swings in the championship, and one would wonder if Tokyo’s pair of races sees yet more twists in the tale.
Championship standings ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix
Drivers’ standings
Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) - 141 points
Mitch Evans (Jaguar) - 132 points
Oliver Rowland (Nissan) - 114 points
António Félix da Costa (Jaguar) - 111 points
Jake Dennis (Andretti) - 109 points
Constructors’ standings
Jaguar - 243 points
Porsche - 237 points
Andretti - 174 points
Mahindra Racing - 172 points
Envision Racing - 130 points
The track layout for the Tokyo E-Prix
Tokyo is an unusual street circuit winding its way around the Big Sight Convention Centre, and perched next to the Tokyo Bay waterfront. However, as it is a night race, expect the circuit to be a magnet for photographers, with stunning shots of cars against the Japanese skyline likely to be on hand.
However, in terms of the track layout, little has changed since Formula E last raced in Tokyo. At 18 corners and 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long, the Tokyo Street Circuit is among the shorter venues on the calendar, and its narrow streets pose a significant challenge to drivers.
For starters, the circuit only offers a handful of overtaking opportunities, the most notable of them at the Turn 10/11 chicane. This chicane is slightly higher in speed, yet the long run down through Turn 9 allows drivers to shape for an overtake on their rival into this section of the track.
Other overtaking spots include the high-speed run through Turn 16 into the right-hander of Turn 17, a flowing section of circuit that can open up opportunities for a last-gasp overtake. It was also at this section where Evans had a scary incident in qualifying last year, resulting in him withdrawing from the second of the races.
Turn 1 also presents an overtaking opportunity; however, the infield section on track has proven to be a handful for drivers. The concertina effect has proven costly for some, with collisions between Nyck de Vries and Evans, and later Edoardo Mortara and Taylor Barnard only evidence of how tight it can get through the first few corners.
Attack mode is situated at the winding left-hander of Turn 4, and this could make the following sequence of corners even more of a hotspot for racing action during the weekend. With Pit Boost also set for Round 14 on Saturday, expect more strategic racing to follow.
All in all, a big aspect of the weekend will be keeping the front wings intact, and avoiding contact over the course of the races, in order to bank points in Tokyo.
Timings for the Tokyo E-Prix weekend:
Friday, 24/06:
Free Practice 1 - 19:00 - 19:45 local (11:00 - 11:45 BST)
Saturday, 25/06 (Round 14)
Free Practice 2 - 13:30 - 14:25 (05:30 - 06:25 BST)
Qualifying - 15:40 - 16:48 (07:40 - 08:48 BST)
Race (36 laps) - 20:05 - 21:00 (12:05 - 13:00 BST)
Sunday, 26/06 (Round 15)
Free Practice 3 - 13:30 - 14:25 (05:30 - 06:25 BST)
Qualifying - 15:40 - 16:48 (07:40 - 08:48 BST)
Race (33 laps) - 20:05 - 21:00 (12:05 - 13:00 BST)
How to watch the Tokyo E-Prix weekend?
You can watch this weekend’s Tokyo E-Prix live here! Check it out:
Talking points ahead of the Tokyo E-Prix weekend
Special liveries for Tokyo: Heading into the weekend in Tokyo, Andretti have gone for a local flavour, to pay homage to the iconic Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 used by the late Paul Walker in the Fast and Furious series. Featuring a chrome paint scheme with inserts of blue, it serves as a fitting tribute to Japan’s automobile culture, and perhaps serves as a curtain-raiser for Andretti’s upcoming partnership in the Gen4 era (which is yet to be announced officially).
In addition, Nissan have unveiled a striking grey and black livery with red accents, commemorating their NISMO performance line-up, ahead of the Tokyo E-Prix weekend.
Rowland’s (and Nissan’s) Tokyo mastery: They say the home crowd often adds a few tenths of a second in advantage. Such has been the case for Nissan around Tokyo, with Oliver Rowland never finishing lower than second at the venue. The Briton finished first and second in the pair of races held in the Japanese capital in 2025, and this year’s Tokyo E-Prix comes just as he is looking for a big lift in his fight for the championship. Would he be able to continue building on a stellar Tokyo record? Only time will be able to tell the tale.
A tribute weekend for Formula E: The sudden death of Citroën’s team principal Cyril Blais has cast a dark shadow over the Formula E paddock, ahead of the Tokyo E-Prix weekend. Blais, who was only 46, had shaped the careers of several drivers during his time in Formula E.
Having worked across three different brands during a seven-year stint, Blais has worked alongside the likes of Wehrlein and Alex Lynn at Mahindra, before leading through transitional periods with Maserati and Citroën in the Gen3 era. While tributes will be in store during the weekend for the Frenchman, there’s no doubt one of Formula E’s most humble figures will be dearly missed on the paddock.
Can Evans find an answer after disastrous Chinese race: One of the most defining moments of Formula E’s Season 12 saw Mitch Evans lose a championship lead he had held since the Berlin E-Prix in May. The Jaguar man endured a torrid stint on Chinese soil, failing to finish the Sanya E-Prix, before only scoring eighth and failing to start Round 13 in Shanghai due to a technical issue. He now becomes the driver in focus, chasing down a nine-point deficit to Wehrlein to keep his dream of winning a title for Jaguar still alive.
A first night race in Tokyo: Amid all the news in the lead-up to the race weekend, it’s also important to recollect that Formula E will be racing under the lights in Tokyo for the first time!
The decision was confirmed by Formula E earlier this season, with Tokyo now joining Jeddah as the only night races on the Season 12 calendar.
Drivers in the spotlight for the Tokyo E-Prix
Oliver Rowland: It’s almost impossible to talk about Tokyo without mentioning reigning champion Rowland’s impenetrable record around the street circuit. The Briton has been at one around here, scoring all three pole positions in the history of the event, and finishing a lowest of second in the trio of races staged here.
Rowland comes into this weekend needing a massive boost to his championship campaign, and Tokyo could be the venue that rejuvenates his title defence.
Pascal Wehrlein: Wehrlein may have commenced Season 12 and seen his form dip midway through. Yet, the Porsche man showed his ability to rebound from a difficult weekend by scoring a best haul of Season 12, with 40 points in the Shanghai double header.
Now sitting in the lead, a good showing is what the German driver will be seeking from the Tokyo weekend, a venue where he finished on the podium in Season 11.
Dan Ticktum: It’s been a torrid season for Cupra Kiro’s Dan Ticktum, and Shanghai was just another illustration of the outcome being less than ideal for the Briton. Finishing 13th and 11th, Ticktum hasn’t scored any points in race trim since the Madrid E-Prix in March.
Fortunately, he returns to a venue of success from Season 11, one that saw him clinch a maiden Formula E podium for both himself and the team. It will be an interesting question if he can replicate a similar showing once more.
Predictions for the Tokyo E-Prix:
It’s all set up for an exciting curtain raiser in Tokyo, before the Season 12 (and Gen3) finale in London in August. As such, I would go with an interesting prediction this time around.
I would predict Oliver Rowland continuing his impeccable record of finishing on the podium in Tokyo. For Round 14, I’ll predict a Jake Dennis win, followed by Rowland and Evans in second and third respectively.
For Round 15 on Sunday, I predict a victory on Nissan’s home turf for Rowland, with Edoardo Mortara taking second for Mahindra and Evans finishing third once again, ahead of Wehrlein.
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