Ticktum wins opening Tokyo E-Prix with last-lap pass

Dan Ticktum made a last-lap move to snatch a somewhat unexpected win from Jake Dennis in the first race of the Tokyo E-Prix.

Cupra Kiro driver Ticktum started sixth but went against the grain to pit and used his Attack Mode early to undercut those in front who were counting on late rain to increase their Attack Mode advantage later on.

Despite fears of overconsuming, Ticktum was equal on energy to the leaders. Andretti driver Dennis – who'd opposed Ticktum with a later pit and Attack Mode strategy – passed on lap 29 in his last few seconds of Attack Mode and Ticktum relayed a radio message urging Dennis not to fight and risk bringing the hard-charging Nick Cassidy into the fight. Cassidy, however, closed the gap anyway despite being equal on energy to Ticktum and Dennis, finding pace as the track got more damp with light rain falling.

After Ticktum's message, it seemed as if the top two would hold position in spite of the looming Cassidy but an energy cut for Dennis on the run to Turn 16 on the final lap, as he ran close to the limit, opened the door for Ticktum – who'd been able to save a fraction more in Dennis’ slipstream – to rob the victory in the final moments of the race.

That left Dennis finishing second with Cassidy taking an emotional third place for Citroën, five days after news broke that the team's boss Cyril Blais passed away.

Mitch Evans finished fourth for Jaguar TCS Racing, having started 16th on the grid, capitalizing on a late Attack Mode to vault forwards.

Edoardo Mortara was fifth for Mahindra, fading from podium contention as those on alternate Attack Mode strategies got by him. Jean-Eric Vergne was sixth in the other Citroën, ahead of Oliver Rowland whose early energy saving allowed him to salvage a decent points haul for Nissan on home soil after starting down in 15th.

Pepe Marti made it a double points finish for Kiro in eighth, ahead of Antonio Felix da Costa who survived a collision with Pascal Wehrlein on lap 19 which put him in the wall. While he took a points finish, the collision ended early hopes of a podium for the Jaguar driver.

DS Penske’s Taylor Barnard completed the scorers in 10th, taking his second consecutive points finish for the first time since the Jeddah E-Prix back in February.

Ticktum's win, the second in his Formula E career, was just his third points finish of the season after a trying campaign, and comes at a time when his Formula E future is in doubt with his Kiro contract expiring at the end of the season. The victory also moves him from 16th in the championship to 14th.

At the top of the table there's been another swing with Evans’ strong result moving him back into the lead with three races remaining. Wehrlein, the leader going into the weekend, failed to score after retiring two laps after his collision with Evans’ teammate da Costa.

Dennis' pole and second place in the race moves him up to third ahead of reigning champion Rowland, with da Costa and Mortara maintaining fifth and sixth.

Nico Mueller also retired after a collision with da Costa on the opening lap, the non-score for Porsche’s factory team meaning it drops further behind Jaguar in the teams’ standings. What was a six point gap before the weekend now sits at 20.

In the manufacturers’ points, however, the 1-2 finish for two of Porsche's customer teams has allowed it to increase the gap to Jaguar from 50 points to 77.

RESULTS