Mortara Takes Historic Tokyo E-Prix Pole After Rain Disrupts Formula E Weekend

Posted : 26 July 2026

Edoardo Mortara delivered a standout performance to secure pole position for Round 15 of the 2026 Formula E World Championship at the Tokyo E-Prix. The Mahindra Racing driver topped a dramatic qualifying session after heavy rain earlier in the day forced the cancellation of Free Practice 3, leaving teams without any Sunday track running before qualifying.

Persistent rainfall and thunderstorms made conditions unsafe at the Tokyo Street Circuit, resulting in the final practice session being abandoned. Drivers headed straight into qualifying on a drying circuit, creating challenging conditions as the championship battle entered its penultimate round before the season finale in London.

Mortara was the fastest driver in Group B with a lap of 1:14.216 before continuing his impressive form through the knockout Duels. He defeated Oliver Rowland in the quarter-finals, overcame Dan Ticktum in the semi-finals, and then produced a superb lap of 1:12.341 to beat António Félix da Costa by 0.677 seconds in the final duel.

The pole position was Mortara's fourth of the 2025/26 Formula E season, equalling the single-season record previously held by Jean-Éric Vergne. It also ended a run of seven consecutive pole positions for Porsche-powered cars and strengthened Mahindra Racing's resurgence during the campaign.

Da Costa secured second on the grid after eliminating Norman Nato and Taylor Barnard on his route to the final. Barnard's performance included knocking Drivers' Championship leader Mitch Evans out in the quarter-finals, while Ticktum advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Nyck de Vries.

Championship contender Evans progressed from the group stage but missed out on the semi-finals after losing to Barnard. The Jaguar driver entered Sunday's action with a three-point championship advantage following his impressive recovery drive from 16th to fourth in Saturday's race. Evans admitted the team had learned valuable lessons after struggling with tyre performance during qualifying on the opening day of the Tokyo double-header.

Pascal Wehrlein also endured a difficult qualifying session after failing to progress beyond the group stage, leaving another title contender facing an uphill task in the race. Oliver Rowland reached the Duels but lost valuable time after making a mistake in his quarter-final against Mortara.

The Tokyo E-Prix represents the penultimate round of the 2025/26 Formula E season, making every championship point crucial ahead of the title-deciding weekend in London. With Mortara starting from pole under the lights in Tokyo, the stage is set for another decisive chapter in one of Formula E's closest championship battles.

Mortara Takes Historic Tokyo E-Prix Pole After Rain Disrupts Formula E Weekend

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