FE | Tokyo E-Prix 2025 | FP1 | Nato puts Nissan on top - Motorsport

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Formula E is back in Tokyo for rounds eight and nine of Season 11. The first FP1 session was underway, in a track that saw Maximilian Günther take the win in 2024. With Oliver Rowland in the lead of the Drivers’ Championship, he will be the man to beat for this double-header. 40 points separate Rowland from António Félix da Costa, who’s yet to stand on the top step of the podium.

The Tokyo E-Prix 2025 FP1 session is underway

FP1 of the 2025 Tokyo E-Prix started fast, with the first set of drivers taking the track to test out the new modifications made to the track. Apart from being smoothed out, alterations were made to open up the circuit, leaving room for more overtaking. Rowland led the pack from the get-go and set a time of 1:16s, quickly improving into the 1:14s, with a 1:14.786s. The Nissan driver was the first to enter the new time bracket, with Monaco podium finisher, Nyck De Vries just three tenths behind Rowland.

Just as the drivers were finding their pace, the red flag was brought out for Taylor Barnard. The NEOM McLaren driver sustained damage to the front and the right-hand side of the NEOM McLaren machine, after crashing at T16. He lost the rear coming over the rear and hit the wall.

A look at that incident for Taylor Barnard#TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/s9X5ZcQFa7
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 16, 2025

Session back underway

The Tokyo E-Prix 2025 FP1 session was back underway with an additional eight minuted added to the clock. So far, Rowland was still the fastest, but Mitch Evans was catching up. The Jaguar TCS Racing machine was at full power and slotted into second.

Andretti’s Nico Müller took the top spot next, after listening to team advice. The Swiss driver slid to the top with a 1:13.902 and an Attack Mode lap.

The faster laps of the session were coming in hot with Zane Maloney going in second. However, Maloney almost had an incident akin to Barnard after a snap of oversteer through T16.

The Season 9 Champion, Jake Dennis, snagged the top spot from his teammate with a 1:13.245s.

Finding the limits 🤏@JakeDennis19 is on top of the timings with 15 minutes of the session to go ⏱️#TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/21OszLBpdC
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 16, 2025

Taking turns for the lead

The drivers took turns for the lead, with Pascal Wehrlein briefly topping the leaderboard, until Lucas di Grassi showed up in P4. The 2025 Tokyo E-Prix FP1 session looked good for the Porsche powertrain, as Wehrlein led. Dennis and Da Costa were close behind.

In a turn of events, Rowland was having problems with the balance of his Nissan car. Will he be able to fix the issue before FP2 tomorrow?

With the final moments of the 2025 Tokyo E-Prix FP1 session, the drivers were coming in fast. Dan Ticktum was the next driver to take the lead with a 1:12.987, bringing an all Porsche powertrain pack in the top 5.

Just as everyone got comfortable, the Nissan duo were in first and second, with Norman Nato on top. It is their home race after all, but Porsche quickly responded with Wehrlein looking comfortable and in the top spot.

Chequered flag!

The chequered flag was out, signalling the end of the 2025 Tokyo E-Prix FP1 session. From the looks of it, Nissan will be the team to beat, with Nato finishing in P1. His teammate Rowland was in P3.

Last year’s winner, Günther had a decent run, finishing in P2. Rounding up the top five was Stoffel Vandoorne in fifth for Maserati MSG Racing.