Formula E has announced that the Tokyo E-Prix will become a night race, with this year’s double-header set to take place under floodlights.
Ahead of the third edition of the Japan event, the championship revealed that the two races will start at 8pm local time, five hours later than they were originally scheduled.
The news was revealed on the eve of this weekend’s Jeddah E-Prix, currently the only other night race on the Formula E calendar.
Only one other street circuit has hosted a night race in FE; the Diriyah E-Prix was held after sunset from 2021 to 2024 before Jeddah replaced it as the venue for the Saudi Arabian round of the championship last year.
“It took us nine and a half years to get the permit to do the race in Tokyo, same way as it took, I think, nine years to get the permit to do the marathon in Tokyo,” Formula E chief championship officer Alberto Longo told Motorsport.com
“So obviously, it's slow in terms of permits, it's slow in terms of planning, of preparation.
“But once you're there, they just want to grow, and that is what we felt. When we talked about the opportunity of having a night race, they immediately jumped into it and said, ‘OK, we want to do it.’
“But it took a little bit of time, obviously, to get all the permits and to put everything in process. But now I think we're going to have an amazing race, something that is going to make us feel so proud.
“It's going to be the second night race after the one in Diriyah and Jeddah.
“Definitely, for us it's very important. Why? Because when we do races at night in the Middle East or Asia, it's prime time in Europe as well.
“So that will allow us to keep on growing the audience, which is our end goal for Formula E.”
The entire lighting system and the rest of the supporting infrastructure in Tokyo will be powered by sustainable energy, sourced from advanced biofuels.
The decision to turn the Tokyo E-Prix into a night race brings two key benefits. Firstly, it will mean the races will be broadcast at a more suitable time to fans following Formula E in Europe and other parts of the world.
Secondly, it will help mitigate the impact of shifting the race from May to Japan’s peak summer season in July.
Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike also said changing the schedule will allow the city to showcase its vibrant nightlife.
Formula E ventured onto Japanese soil for the first time in 2024 with a temporary street circuit built around the Tokyo Big Sight Conventional Centre on the Tokyo Bay waterfront. Securing the race was considered a massive achievement for Formula E, which has always targeted running races in major city centres around the world.
The event, which is jointly held by Formula E and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, was expanded to a double header last year.
