After three races in China, the all-electric series heads to the Big Sight Exhibition Centre for the third edition of the Tokyo E-Prix, where 20 of the world’s best racing drivers will battle it out under the lights as the event becomes a night race for the first time.
Envision Racing enjoyed a successful weekend last time out in Shanghai, scoring 31 points at the home of Envision Group – including a podium finish on Sunday, with Joel Eriksson achieving his maiden podium with a P3 finish following a dramatic race in tricky conditions. Sebastien Buemi once again proved his mastery of mixed conditions and looked set to challenge for a podium, before a drying track that did not favour his set-up, ultimately saw him finish P5.
With the championship entering the penultimate race week, there are still plenty of points up for grabs – and with the teams’ championship incredibly tight, Envision Racing will be aiming for a strong weekend to solidify the current position of P5.
THE CIRCUIT
The challenging 18-turn, 2.582km street circuit will surround the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre – the largest venue in Japan also known as Tokyo Big Sight. It’s a challenging layout that includes three notable straights, technical sequences of tight corners, and high-speed combinations set against the stunning Tokyo metropolis backdrop.
Tokyo becomes the second event on the Formula E calendar to feature as a night race during Season 12, with Jeddah hosting the first double-header under the lights back in February – which Envision Racing and Buemi enjoyed success at with a P2 finish.
LAST TIME OUT
Last season saw a double points finish for Buemi across the weekend in Tokyo, narrowly missing out on the podium during race one, finishing fourth, followed by a ninth place finish the next day from a P16 start. For Eriksson, it’ll be another new circuit for the Swede to tackle, however he’ll be using his experience from his simulator role in previous seasons to get him up to speed.
The Tokyo E-Prix gets underway with FP1 on Friday 24 July, followed by two race days across the weekend.
