Tokyo E-Prix 2025: Round 8 Qualifying session cancelled due to rain, Oliver Rowland secures pole position as grid order is based on FP2 results

After a wet second free practice session at the Tokyo E-Prix on Saturday, the Round 8 Qualifying race was delayed by 30 minutes, but with no respite in the rain, it was eventually cancelled. As a result, the Formula E drivers didn’t get the crucial chance to secure a desired position on the grid for the Round 8 race. The grid order was eventually decided based on the results of FP2, leading to Oliver Rowland securing pole position.

Oliver Rowland gets pole position after winning FP2
The Qualifying race was scheduled at 10:20 a.m. (local time) but was delayed by 30 minutes due to the rainy conditions. The Porsche Safety Car made its laps to check track conditions, and the Qualifying was rescheduled for 10:50 a.m. (local time). But the FIA eventually confirmed that Qualifying for Round 8 was cancelled in the interest of the safety of the Formula E drivers. FIA Race Director Marek Hanaczewski himself broke the news of the Qualifying race’s cancellation.

As it was decided that the grid would be taken from Free Practice 2's results, Nissan's Oliver Rowland was declared the Julius Baer Pole Position winner. While FP1 was held on Friday in dry conditions, FP2 was held amid heavy rain showers.

FP2 had Nissan’s Oliver Rowland as the fastest driver. He was followed by Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra Racing in second position and Nissan’s Norman Nato in third position. Nato had won FP1 on Friday.

Here’s how we will be lining up on the grid for Round 8 💥#TokyoEPrix

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2025

Taylor Barnard of NEOM McLaren gained big, as after ending FP1 with a crash, he secured the fourth spot in FP2. He was followed by Nyck de Vries of Mahindra Racing in fifth spot and Sebastien Buemi of Envision Racing in sixth spot. Dan Ticktum of Cupra Kiro took the seventh spot, and Jean-Eric Vergne of DS Penske claimed the eighth spot. Maximilian Günther of Maserati MSG Racing, and winner of the last Tokyo E-Prix, ended ninth, and Robin Frijns of Envision Racing ended tenth.

Also Read: Tokyo E-Prix 2025: Rain to dominate entire Tokyo double header, here’s complete weather forecast for Formula E Round 8 and 9 races

The weather forecast for the Round 8 FP3 and Qualifying session also predicts heavy rain on Sunday. The main Sunday race has lower chances of rain.