Stoffel Vandoorne claimed a sensational and long-awaited victory in a chaotic and tactical Formula E Tokyo E-Prix, Round 8 of the 2025 season. The Belgian emerged triumphant in a race that had it all: torrential rain, red flags, strategic gambles and wheel-to-wheel drama from start to finish. It was Maserati’s first win of the season, and Vandoorne’s first since 2022 — his fourth overall and his maiden triumph outside the Mercedes-powered garage.
A Slippery Start
From the outset, it was clear the Tokyo street circuit was not going to offer an easy ride. With the track soaked and standing water especially treacherous on the start-finish straight, the race director opted for a start behind the safety car. After four laps of cautious running and a close eye on sector two — the driest part of the circuit — the field lined up for a standing start.
Pole-sitter Oliver Rowland led the pack cleanly off the line, while Taylor Barnard made an impressive getaway, momentarily taking second before settling into third. The real early mover, however, was Sébastien Buemi, who surged up the order with a well-timed Attack Mode activation, climbing to second by lap 8.
Meanwhile, Norman Nato, who had started third, slid down the order and never recovered — a theme that would define his race.
Günther Stops, Race Pauses
Drama unfolded on lap 13 as Maximilian Günther ground to a halt at Turn 13. His DS Penske showed no signs of contact damage, but the red flag was swiftly waved. Around the same time, Nick Cassidy, who had been languishing in 17th, slid into the runoff and reported issues with rear grip. Cassidy, who led the championship early this season, never threatened the points and remained off pace.
Crucially, Vandoorne had just completed his pit boost before the red flag — a move that would define the outcome of the race. With all other drivers still needing to pit for over 30 seconds later in the race, the Maserati man held a golden ticket.
Standing Restart and Pit Boost Mayhem
Racing resumed with a second standing start at 08:52 CEST. Rowland once again controlled the launch, but strategy was already coming into play. Several drivers — Jake Dennis, Nyck de Vries and Mitch Evans — had used just enough energy to immediately complete their mandatory pit boost of the race. Dennis gambled and dove in before the field even resumed, but it backfired disastrously: the pit lane was still officially closed. He was later disqualified.
Evans and De Vries did complete legal pit boosts, but the latter emerged into trouble, colliding with Evans and forcing the Jaguar driver into retirement. De Vries would later recover to finish eighth, but it was a costly incident.
Rowland Leads, Vandoorne Controls
As the chaos unfolded, Oliver Rowland briefly led on track and even managed a strong Attack Mode phase, but with his pit boost still to come, he had no answer for Vandoorne’s clever timing. The Nissan driver eventually pitted on lap 24, returning to the track nearly half a minute behind the Maserati. Though he narrowed the gap to 13 seconds by the chequered flag, it was too little, too late.
Further back, Taylor Barnard continued to impress. The young Brit fended off repeated attacks from Buemi and Edoardo Mortara, the latter losing pace in the closing laps. Buemi passed him for fourth, and even Dan Ticktum nearly snatched fifth in the last moments. Mortara finished sixth — a frustrating end after having challenged at the front in the first phase of the race.
Final Flourishes and Vandoorne’s Moment
A brief scare for Vandoorne came on lap 28, when he spun in the second corner and kissed the barriers. But with a commanding lead, the Belgian regrouped, activated his final Attack Mode, and cruised to victory after 38 laps — three more than originally scheduled due to added laps.
Rowland held onto second, while Barnard clinched a superb maiden podium in third. Buemi came home fourth, Ticktum fifth, ahead of a fading Mortara in sixth. Antonio Felix da Costa claimed seventh for Porsche, De Vries was eighth, Jean-Eric Vergne placed ninth and Robin Frijns rounded out the points in tenth.
Notably, Pascal Wehrlein, the reigning world champion, finished outside the top ten after a lacklustre strategy. Both Jaguar drivers, Evans and Cassidy, also ended the day without points — a disastrous result that all but ends their title hopes. No German driver scored on home soil for their manufacturers.
A Return to Glory for Vandoorne
For Stoffel Vandoorne, this was a win two years in the making. Once the dominant force in his title-winning 2022 season, the Belgian has struggled to replicate that form — until today. Maserati’s bold decision to pit just before the red flag, combined with Vandoorne’s cool-headed drive in drying but treacherous conditions, delivered a well-deserved victory.
“We just follow the plan.” said an emotional Vandoorne post-race.
It was a wet and wild Tokyo thriller, but one that reminded the paddock: never count out a champion with a smart strategy and a steady hand.