After nine seasons, Formula E will hold its first race in Tokyo in March 2024. This was confirmed back in June by a preliminary draft calendar. Now the official track layout for the first Japanese race in history has been unveiled. The 2.5-kilometer course will run past the city's large exhibition center and harbor promenade.
The layout, which has now been officially confirmed, is an almost unchanged design that was already published in November 2022 by our colleagues at The Race. Similar to the London E-Prix, the track will be built around the "Tokyo Big Sight" exhibition center, which is just two minutes from the city center, according to the electric series. The start-finish straight and paddock area with pits for drivers and teams will be built along the nearby harbor promenade, from where a view of the Tokyo Gate Bridge could be possible.
From there, the first part of the track is very technical - as is typical in Formula E - and includes several 90-degree corners connected by short straights. A high-speed section with long straights and short chicanes then follows along the eastern exhibition halls, leading the field back to the harbor. This is also where the only changes are found: A small chicane between turns 8 and 9 has been removed, creating a long straight here. And the following combination of turns 11 and 12 has been made more angular instead of semi-circular. In total, the circuit comprises 18 turns over 2.582 kilometers. However, official homologation by the FIA is still pending.
“We are excited to unveil the track for the inaugural Tokyo E-Prix and are confident it will create a unique challenge for the 22 drivers in Formula E to showcase their elite driving skills and give fans in Tokyo an experience they will never forget," said Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E. "We are honoured to be the first motorsport world championship to race on the streets of Tokyo.”
Although Nissan, a Japanese manufacturer, has been part of the world championship since 2018, no race has yet been held in the "Land of the Rising Sun." In the Formula E selection process, Tokyo had won out over Yokohama, where the automaker's headquarters are located, among others. Demo runs had taken place in both cities in the past.
In general, the March 2024 race will not only be the first Formula E race in history in Tokyo, but also the first auto race in the capital's metropolitan area and the first World Championship event for which roads will be closed. The metropolis of nine million people is not only the industrial and cultural hub, but also the transportation center of the country. The Formula E race is intended to help promote electric mobility in the city.
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