The penultimate round of the season, a double-header, is taking place this weekend in the heart of the Japanese capital.

But for the first time, the all-electric single-seaters took to the track after dark: with powerful floodlights illuminating the 2.58-kilometre street circuit to create a completely new atmosphere against the backdrop of the city’s lights.

With a mandatory PIT BOOST and just a single Attack Mode, the first race of the weekend promised to be particularly strategic. Following strong qualifying performances, Taylor Barnard (who reached the Duels stage for the eighth time this season) and his team mate Maximilian Günther lined up fifth and ninth respectively on the starting grid.

The two DS Automobiles drivers quickly confirmed the potential of their DS E-TENSE FE25 cars by each gaining a position at the start. Taylor Barnard was particularly effective during the opening part of the race, rapidly rising to third right behind the leaders.

After his PIT BOOST stop, the young Briton activated his Attack Mode and moved back up to fourth. He was all set to hold onto this excellent position, but then suffered an electronic problem related to the steering wheel. As a result, he lost several places on the final lap and ultimately crossed the finish line in 10th.

Maximilian Günther adopted a different strategy by taking his PIT BOOST stop earlier and delaying the use of his Attack Mode. Unfortunately, the display on his steering wheel stopped showing essential information towards the end of the race, preventing him from fighting for a top result.

Having run consistently at the front, the DS Automobiles drivers and partner PENSKE AUTOSPORT were unable to score the points they had hoped for on Saturday. However, the team and its drivers will have another chance to shine on the streets of the Japanese capital on Sunday. The second Tokyo E-Prix will get under way at 13:00 French time.

Taylor Barnard:

“This is obviously not the result we were hoping for in the first race at Tokyo. Finishing 10th and scoring just one point certainly doesn’t reflect how our day unfolded. After a tricky free practice, the team did an excellent job of improving the car. That allowed me to qualify fifth and then climb to third in the race before the PIT BOOST stop. Unfortunately, we then encountered a problem that compromised the rest of the race. Of course, I’d like to thank the team for all the hard work they put in. We’ll definitely do everything we can to score more points tomorrow.”

Maximilian Günther:

“The first half of the race went very well and we managed the pit stop well. We had very good pace and I think we were in a position to fight for a place in the top four. Unfortunately, the display on my steering wheel went blank, so I no longer had the data I needed to manage my energy to the end of the race. I was almost driving blind, so it’s practically a miracle that we managed to reach the finish. That problem ruined our race. It’s a real shame, but we’ll work hard to prepare for what’s next and do everything we can to have a good race tomorrow.”