Formula E in Tokyo: Qualifying cancelled due to rain - FP2 winner Oliver Rowland on pole position

For the first time in Formula E history, a qualifying session had to be cancelled. Because the rain in Tokyo simply would not let up, the standing water on the track made regular qualifying impossible. The start had previously been postponed several times. According to the regulations, the result of the 2nd free practice session serves as the basis for the starting grid. Oliver Rowland will therefore start from pole position.

Qualifying was originally scheduled to start at 3.20am (CEST). However, the race organisers announced shortly beforehand that the session would be postponed by 30 minutes. In the meantime, safety car driver Bruno Correia and race director Marek Hanaczewski did a few laps of the track to get an idea of the situation. Meanwhile, the spectators and marshals made the best of the situation.

Spirits are high on the trackside marshalling team despite the weather conditions 🤗☔️#TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/z8DLfqY9sI

- Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2025

At 3.48am Hanaczewski radioed to all teams: "We have standing water on the track in places, which is an unnecessary risk. We will give another update at 11am (local time; 4am CEST) and then decide in which direction we will continue with qualifying." As a result, drivers and teams remained in their pits for another ten minutes. The fans in the grandstands patiently wrapped themselves in their rain jackets.

At 4:02 a.m., the news came that everyone had been expecting: "We are forced to cancel qualifying", said race director Hanaczewski. This meant that Oliver Rowland would start Saturday's race as pole-sitter at Nissan's home round. Edo Mortara in the Mahindra came second in the second free practice session, followed by Norman Nato in the second Nissan. The three bonus points for pole position were not awarded due to the cancellation of qualifying.

The FIA have confirmed that in the interest of safety, qualifying for Round 8 has been cancelled.

The grid will be taken from Free Practice 2's results, which sees Nissan's @oliverrowland1 on Julius Baer Pole Position.#TokyoEPrix pic.twitter.com/AFlkMmThpO

- Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2025

Race start in Tokyo is at 8am (CEST). As usual, e-Formula.news will be at the start with a live ticker.

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