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Nyck de Vries claimed a shock victory in the second race of the Tokyo E-Prix double-header after changing weather conditions once again turned tyre pressure into the decisive factor.
The race followed a pattern similar to the second Shanghai E-Prix. Rainfall before the start left teams facing a difficult call: commit to a wet-weather approach or gamble on a dry or intermediate tyre pressure as the circuit began to recover. As the track inevitably dried, the drivers who made the more aggressive calculation surged through the field.
De Vries was the biggest beneficiary. The result delivered his second win of the year and underlined how quickly the competitive order could be reshaped by a single strategic decision in the unsettled conditions.
The most significant drive of the race came from Jake Dennis. Starting from 18th, the former Tokyo E-Prix pole-sitter also opted for the tyre pressure gamble and produced a late charge through the field.
Dennis ultimately finished third, converting one of the most difficult grid positions into a major championship result. His recovery moved him into the title lead, while the previously leading pair of Mitch Evans and Pascal Wehrlein endured a damaging afternoon.
Both Evans and Wehrlein slipped in the standings after a troubled race, finishing 15th and 17th respectively. They now sit second and third in the championship, leaving Dennis with the clearest momentum after the Tokyo double-header.
On a sombre weekend for Citroën following the passing of team boss Cyril Blais, Nick Cassidy produced an outstanding result by finishing second. His podium added an important sporting moment to a difficult event for the team.
Reigning world champion Oliver Rowland also chose an intermediate set-up and finished fourth, with Jean-Eric Vergne completing the top five.
A multi-car collision brought out a late red flag with two laps remaining. However, the one-lap shootout that followed produced no further twist, with the field racing flat-out to the finish. De Vries held on for victory, while Dennis completed his remarkable climb from the back of the grid with a podium and the championship lead.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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