Nyck de Vries delivered a strategic masterclass at a chaotic, rain-affected Tokyo E-Prix to claim Mahindra Racing’s second win of the 2025/26 season. Navigating a race disrupted by changing track conditions, a multi-car collision, and a late red flag, the Dutch driver capitalized on a split-setup strategy to seal his second victory of the year. The result represents Mahindra Racing's first multi-victory campaign in eight years and collects crucial points for the team as the season approaches its final double-header in London.
Here is a detailed look at the key tactical calls, lap charts, and post-race reactions from the Mahindra Racing garage.
The Tokyo E-Prixwas nothing short of chaotic. Heavy rainfall before the race start left the track completely wet, and with the race taking place at night, the asphalt took longer to dry, making for an unpredictable and thrilling E-Prix. The race started behind the Safety Car, and the conditions changed almost by the lap.
Race Detail
Information
Event
Formula E 2026 TDK Tokyo E-Prix – Round 15
Date
July 26, 2026
Track
Tokyo street circuit (Ariake)
Conditions
Wet start, drying track, night race
Winner
Nyck de Vries – Mahindra Racing
Second Place
Nick Cassidy – Citroën Racing
Third Place
Jake Dennis – Andretti Formula E
Pole Position
Edoardo Mortara – Mahindra Racing
🎯 The Strategic Masterclass That Won The Race
Mahindra's victory was not just about speed—it was about brilliant strategy. The team made a calculated gamble before the race even started.
The Split Strategy
Mahindra split the strategy between its two drivers:
Driver
Strategy
Outcome
Edoardo Mortara
Wet set-up (favourable at the start)
Started from pole but struggled as track dried
Nyck de Vries
Dry set-up (tyre pressures for drying track)
Won the race
How De Vries Charged to Victory
De Vries started from fifth on the grid. Here's how he pulled it off:
Early Energy Conservation: He saved energy early while others burned theirs.
Attack Mode Deployment: On Lap 26, he activated his remaining six minutes of Attack Mode to surge through the field.
Taking the Lead: He passed Oliver Rowland to take the race lead.
Red Flag & One-Lap Sprint: A late multi-car crash brought out the red flag, setting up a one-lap sprint to the finish.
Defending the Win: De Vries held off fast-closing Nick Cassidy and Jake Dennis to take the chequered flag.
"We opted for a drying track and, in hindsight, that worked out in our favour. We had a poor start, but saving energy early became crucial once the circuit dried." — Nyck de Vries, Mahindra Racing driver
📊 The Double-Header Weekend: 38 Points For Mahindra
Tokyo hosted a double-header with Rounds 14 and 15, and Mahindra Racing collected 38 points across the weekend.
Day
Driver
Qualifying
Race Result
Saturday (Round 14)
Edoardo Mortara
P2
P5
Saturday (Round 14)
Nyck de Vries
—
P17 (first-lap puncture)
Sunday (Round 15)
Edoardo Mortara
Pole Position
Retired (crash)
Sunday (Round 15)
Nyck de Vries
P5
P1 – WINNER!
Mortara’s Record-Equalling Pole
Edoardo Mortara continued his dominant qualifying form in Tokyo, topping the Duels to claim his fourth pole position of the season—matching the single-season Formula E record. Despite leading early stints, Mortara's race was cut short on Lap 32 following involvement in a multi-car collision that brought out the red flag, resulting in a DNF despite the team's strong underlying pace.
Here is a detailed look at Mortara's qualifying telemetry, race-pace degradation, and the incident breakdown from Lap 32.
"It is disappointing because we showed excellent pace throughout the weekend. We chose the wet setup, which wasn't the right call, but fortunately our split strategy worked perfectly for Nyck. I'm very happy for the team." — Edoardo Mortara, Mahindra Racing driver
🏆 Championship Standings: The Title Fight Heats Up
The Tokyoresult dramatically reshaped the championship picture.
Drivers’ Championship
Position
Driver
Team
Points
1
Jake Dennis
Andretti
Leader
2
Mitch Evans
Jaguar
-2 points
3
Pascal Wehrlein
Porsche
-5 points
5
Edoardo Mortara
Mahindra
5th
9
Nyck de Vries
Mahindra
Moved up to 9th
Teams’ Championship
Position
Team
Points
1
Jaguar
Leader
2
Porsche
-14 points
3
Andretti
211 points (estimated)
4
Mahindra Racing
210 points
Mahindra Racing now sits just one point behind third-placed Andretti in the Teams' Championship, with two races remaining in London on August 15-16.
Manufacturers’ Championship
Porsche wrapped up the manufacturers' title, winning it for the second season in a row.
📝 Short Note (Hinglish)
Bhai log, kya race thi! Mahindra Racing ne Tokyo E-Prix mein kamaal ka victory haasil kiya hai! 🏆 Nyck de Vries ne second win of the season apne naam ki, aur ye 2017/18 ke baad pehli baar hai jab Mahindra ne ek season mein multiple wins liye hain! 😲
Race bilkul chaotic thi – baarish ne track ko wet kar diya, night race thi, aur multi-car crash ke baad red flag aayi. Phir one-lap sprint mein de Vries ne apni position defend ki aur jeet gaye! 🚀
Mahindra ne split strategy use ki – Mortara ne wet set-up liya aur de Vries ne dry set-up. Drying track ne de Vries ke kaam aaya aur woh fifth se first tak pahunch gaye!
38 points mile weekend mein, aur ab Mahindra Teams' Championship mein third place se sirf 1 point peeche hai. London finale mein dekhte hain kya hota hai! 🏁
Nyck de Vries ne khud kaha – "We were a little bit lucky today"– lekin bhai, luck toh unka saath tha, par strategy aur execution bhi top-class thi! 💪
Disclaimer: All race results, standings, and quotes are based on official FIA Formula E reports and media coverage as of July 2026.
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