DS Automobiles Earns Double Points Finish in Second Tokyo E-Prix Race
Taylor Barnard led the second Tokyo E-Prix race before fading to ninth as DS Automobiles took a double points finish.
- 9th and 10th
- August 15–16 in London
- 152
- 4
What Happened
DS Automobiles took a double points finish in the second Tokyo E-Prix race, with Taylor Barnard and Maximilian Günther crossing the line ninth and tenth. Barnard progressed to the Duels stage in qualifying and started fourth, led the opening half of the race, then lost tyre performance as the track dried. Günther started 14th, conserved energy, and fought back to 10th.
- Qualified 4th, finished 9th
- Qualified 14th, finished 10th
The second race was held at night in damp conditions after rain had already cancelled the third free practice session. Barnard was immediately on the pace: after a brief Full Course Yellow, he activated his first Attack Mode, passed his rivals and took the lead. He stayed at the front for much of the opening half before losing tyre performance as the track dried. Günther chose to save energy early and used two Attack Modes in quick succession to climb to 10th, though a red flag interrupted his charge.
“We gambled on a dry-weather set-up. I think it was the right choice and we managed it well, even though the first half of the race was obviously more difficult. A Safety Car would certainly have helped us, but we still came back very strongly in the closing laps with some good overtaking moves. The red flag really came out at the worst possible moment, as it interrupted my momentum when I could ha”
“We had two very good qualifying sessions this weekend. Yesterday, a problem with the car compromised our result. Today, without making any mistakes, we should have finished much higher. We didn't expect the track to dry out so quickly. The drivers who started further back on the grid on tyre pressures better suited to dry conditions were able to overtake us in the closing laps. The only consolatio”
- 152 races
- 4 championship titles
- 18 victories
- 55 podiums
- 26 pole positions
The red flag brought the race back for two laps, and Günther held 10th. The double top-10 result only partly reflected the cars' true performance. Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship concludes in London on 15–16 August.
Previously from DS Automobiles
In the first Tokyo E-Prix night race the previous day, Taylor Barnard finished 10th to score one point after an electronic problem cost him a top-four position. That race, like this one, marked Formula E's first-ever night event in Tokyo, which DS Automobiles had prepared for as the season neared its end.
- DS Automobiles Scores One Point in First Night Race at Tokyo E-Prix
- DS Automobiles Prepares for Tokyo E-Prix with Two Night Races
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of DS Automobiles's official releases.
Why this matters
The double points finish adds to DS Automobiles' Formula E tally as the season heads to its London finale on 15–16 August, where the team will again try to turn pace into results. It also shows beginners how changing track conditions and tyre choices can decide a race even when a car has shown front-running speed.
Terms in This Story
- Attack Mode
- A power boost in Formula E that drivers activate by driving through designated zones on the track.
- Full Course Yellow
- A caution period in which all cars must slow down and maintain their gaps while the track is not clear.
- Duels
- The knockout qualifying format used in Formula E, where drivers compete in head-to-head races to set the grid.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.