Oliver Rowland produced a measured and decisive performance in Round 9 of the 2025 Formula E World Championship to clinch a stunning home victory for Nissan at the Tokyo E-Prix.
Starting from pole position, the British driver endured intense pressure and strategic jostling before emerging victorious on the streets of Japan’s capital.
It marked Rowland’s fourth win of the season and Nissan’s most celebrated moment of the campaign so far, with fans turning out in full voice to see their local heroes triumph.
With the win, Rowland extends his commanding lead in the Drivers’ Championship, opening up a 77-point cushion over Pascal Wehrlein, who finished second for Porsche.
While Rowland celebrated on the top step, Dan Ticktum also enjoyed a career milestone. The Cupra Kiro driver finished third to claim his first-ever podium in Formula E after a strong showing that might have resulted in more if not for a late-race Safety Car.
Strategic mastery and attack mode timing
The race unfolded with Rowland holding the lead in the opening laps before an early Attack Mode strategy saw him drop down the order.
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With just six minutes of his final 50kW four-wheel drive boost remaining, Rowland judged the timing perfectly, overtaking both Wehrlein and Ticktum in the closing stages to retake the lead and control the final laps.
“I was not a master of strategy in the first half of the race,” Rowland admitted. “But I figured out that everybody would kind of undercut me so I thought: ‘I’ve got six minutes, I’ll undercut them’ and in the end it worked.
“I knew they would all react. I just had to make the progress on the first lap so it paid off today, but I was a bit lucky.”
Wehrlein, who briefly led, defended aggressively in the final sector but couldn’t hold off Rowland’s decisive move.
“There was just no way to defend my position when Oli was in ATTACK MODE,” Wehrlein said. “Still, second is a good result with Dan in P3.”
For Ticktum, who started near the front, the podium marked a turning point after a season of hard-fought but unrewarded performances.
“It feels pretty good! I’m already like ‘if we had done this or done that’ I could have won,” Ticktum said. “We’re really competing consistently at the top now. I thought everyone hated me! I’m happy, it’s good, thank you to everyone who voted for me [for driver of the day].”
Behind the podium trio, Jake Dennis powered through from 14th to fourth with smart Attack Mode usage and bold overtakes, while Lucas di Grassi finished fifth for Lola Yamaha ABT. Jean-Eric Vergne rounded out the top six.
The Safety Car, deployed late after contact between Edoardo Mortara and Taylor Barnard, effectively froze the order for the final lap. Mortara received a time penalty for the incident, while Barnard was forced into the wall and out of contention.
Rowland’s teammate Norman Nato suffered contact and finished 17th after qualifying eighth. Despite the setback, Nissan retained their lead in the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ standings as the all-electric series prepares for its next challenge – a double-header in Shanghai on May 31 and June 1.
