VANDOORNE GRABS WIN IN TOKYO, KEEPING MASERATI’S STREAK ALIVE
Okay, so here’s the deal. After Sébastien Buemi’s win in Monte-Carlo, yet another ex-champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, decided to end his dry spell right here in Tokyo. Why Tokyo? No idea. But it happened.
Vandoorne pulled off this win by managing his car’s energy in a way most folks wouldn’t even dream of, snagging his first Formula E victory in almost, what, 50 races? And Maserati continues to rock in Japan. From 14th place – yeah, 14th because the whole qualifying thing got washed away in the rain – Vandoorne hit the pit lane earlier than anyone else. The guy was in the right place at the right time when the race got interrupted two laps later. Talk about luck, huh?
Maximilian Günther’s car, ironically part of Maserati last year, stalled and caused the whole red flag situation, giving Vandoorne a sweet lead. As the race picked up again, our guy Stoffel, the only one with a pit stop out of the way, danced his way to the front. A little spin at Turn Two? Sure, but who’s counting when you’re ahead, right?
Vandoorne’s been floating around the top 10 ever since the Monaco race years ago. And while Oliver Rowland of the Nissan Team leads the championship, with a hefty 60-point cushion, Vandoorne is creeping up there. Rowland, by the way, ended up runner-up today. He could’ve won if not for that pesky red flag.
Then there’s Taylor Barnard. The youngster got his groove back even after a crash in practice, scoring third. The guy’s aggressive on-track moves pushed him up the order. Not bad for a 20-year-old.
Meanwhile, Sébastien Buemi clinched fourth using an early Attack Mode approach, and Dan Ticktum gave CUPRA KIRO their best finish yet in fifth. Sadly for Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra, a late hiccup cost him a podium shot, leaving him in sixth place.
The session follows up tomorrow, but who knows what’s next in this unpredictable saga?
Vandoorne’s Take: “Super stoked the plan worked! We took a major gamble early on. Luck with red flags helped, but managing the vehicle after was no joke. I might’ve been overly cautious sometimes. Mistakes? Sure, but the plan paid off.”
Rowland’s Thoughts: “Did what we could, really. Sometimes things go sideways, and yeah, an early pit-run was risky. Gotta work on our pit strategies. The car felt amazing early on, kinda faded towards the end. But hey, close enough for me. Tomorrow’s a new story.”
Barnard’s Insight: “FP2 was unexpected magic! My first wet session went surprisingly well. We didn’t expect the race to even happen—weather was that bad—but another podium? Absolutely yes!”
And that’s a wrap, for now.
