Under floodlights for the first time: Formula E to hold 2026 Tokyo E-Prix as a night race

Formula E and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on Thursday morning that the third edition of the Tokyo E-Prix will be held as a night race for the first time. Both races of the double-header on Saturday and Sunday (25 and 26 July) will be held under floodlights and will start at 8 pm local time. A positive side effect for fans in Europe is that the race will not start until 1 pm (CEST).

Following its premiere in 2024, Formula E is consistently working on the further development of the Tokyo E-Prix: in 2025, the event became a double-header with two races on Saturday and Sunday; this year, the E-Prix will now be a floodlit event. After the races in Saudi Arabia - until 2024 in Diriyah, since then in Jeddah - this is the second night race on the racing calendar. Spectacular images on the illuminated track at the Big Sight exhibition centre are therefore guaranteed.

The entire event is to be powered entirely by sustainable energy: No fossil fuels are to be used for the lighting of the track either, only advanced biofuels. This fits in perfectly with the Japanese capital's ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions to "net zero" by 2050.

Fans in Europe in particular will be pleased with the night race: the start of the race has been moved from the early hours of the morning to midday at 1:00 pm (CEST). Although it has not yet been officially confirmed, qualifying will presumably also take place much later so that the break before the race is not too long for spectators on site. Last year, the race started at 8:05 am and qualifying took place at 3:20 am local time. If the postponement is in line with the start time, the start of qualifying could therefore be between 8:00 am and 9:00 am (CEST).

Koike: "The race will add more brilliance for Tokyo's nights"

"It has been officially decided that the 2026 Tokyo E-Prix will be held as a night race," says Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo. "Tokyo E-Prix started in 2024 as Japan's first-ever formal motor race on public streets, and 2025 Tokyo E-Prix ramped this up as a double-header. Each time the race is held, it draws many spectators captivated by the excellence of EVs and the intense and thrilling racing that takes place."

"The 2026 Tokyo E-Prix, the third time for Formula E to be held here in Tokyo, will be a night race to let the world know about Tokyo’s fascinating nightlife," Koike continued. "I am convinced that the race ill not only accelerate the spread of zero emission vehicles and initiatives for the realization of a sustainable world but will also add more brilliance to Tokyo's nights." For fans, the governor has a clear message: "Let's all cheer on a race that may be even hotter than the summer heat."

Longo: "A massive milestone"

"Hosting a night race event in Tokyo is a massive milestone," said Alberto Longo, Chief Championship Officer of Formula E. "This is a city that is committed to our vision to accelerate change towards an electric future, and we thank Governor Koike and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for their partnership. We are delighted to play a part in re-energising Tokyo's incredible nightlife scene and bringing exciting racing to the streets of the capital. To see the Gen3 Evo competing under the dramatic lights of the Tokyo Bay waterfront will be an unforgettable moment for our passionate Japanese fans and those watching on at home."

Before that happens, however, the first two night races of the 2025/26 Formula E season will take place this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, the electric racing series will have a double-header in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).