Dan Ticktum heartache as Oliver Rowland snatches Formula E Tokyo pole

Formula E championship leader Oliver Rowland secured pole position for the second race of the Tokyo E-Prix double-header after Dan Ticktum suffered heartache in the final duel. 

Ticktum had been almost two-tenths clear of Rowland in the final duel before making heavy contact with the wall on the outside of Turn 15, handing pole to the Nissan driver.

The Nissan driver claiming pole handed him a further three points, increasing his staggering lead in the FE drivers' title to 63 points. 

Reigning world champion Pascal Wehrlein showed great pace in the dry and starts the second race in Tokyo from third, ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne.

It was an incident-packed qualifying session, which saw a crash for Mitch Evans in the opening group at Turn 16 trigger a short red flag. Several others hit various walls.

Duels

In the final, just 0.009s split the two drivers through the first corners but in Ticktum's favour, leaving Rowland with work to do. 

He lost further time in sector two after a remarkable lap was being put together by Ticktum, before misery for the Cupra Kiro driver as he came almost to a halt after hitting the Turn 15 wall.

To reach the final, Rowland first defeated Nissan team-mate Norman Nato in the quarter finals. Nato had boasted strong pace, but hit the wall and damaged his car. Rowland then comfortably be Vergne in the semi finals. 

As for Ticktum, he destroyed Mahindra's Edoardo Mortara who will start from fifth in the quarter-finals, before a crucial victory over Wehrlein in the semis. 

In the other two quarter-finals, Vergne defeated Lucas di Grassi who starts in sixth, whilst Wehrlein beat team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa who had to settle for seventh on the grid.

Group stage

Unlike on Saturday, the drivers were met by scorching temperatures and bright skies on Sunday, with qualifying having been able to take place as scheduled. 

The opening group featured championship leader Rowland who finished second in the opening race of the weekend. Outside title contender Barnard joined him, as did Saturday's race winner, Stoffel Vandoorne. 

It was a dramatic opening group, with a red flag having been flown with just over three minutes remaining after Evans crashed at Turn 16. A flurry of action unfolded once when the session resumed. 

In the end, di Grassi remarkably ended the group on top and was joined in the top four by both Nissans and Vergne. Crucially, Taylor Barnard, Nyck de Vries and Jaguar's Nick Cassidy were eliminated.

The second group was more straightforward and was topped by Wehrlein, who was also quickest in third practice. Mortara, Ticktum and Porsche team-mate da Costa joined him in the top four.

There was frustration in the dying seconds for Andretti, as a crash for Nico Müller cost both him and team-mate Jake Dennis – both were eliminated.