Edoardo Mortara claims Tokyo Formula E pole as two title contenders struggle

Edoardo Mortara defeated Antonio Felix da Costa to claim pole position for the second race of Formula E's Tokyo E-Prix, his fourth of the year.

The Mahindra driver looked excellent throughout qualifying, and reduced his deficit to championship leader Mitch Evans to 28 points due to receiving three points for pole. 

Saturday's race winner Dan Ticktum looked quick and progressed to the semi finals, but had to settle for third on the grid with Taylor Barnard joining him on the second row.

It was a better qualifying than it was on Saturday for Evans who secured seventh on the grid, while his closest title rivals Pascal Wehrlein and Jake Dennis failed to make the duels.

Duels

Mortara destroyed da Costa in the final, going quicker than the Jaguar driver in every sector to set a 1m 12.341. Da Costa was a considerable eight-tenths adrift, but does at least start second.

To reach the final, da Costa first got past Nissan's Norman Nato and then DS Penske's Barnard, while Mortara defeated reigning world champion Oliver Rowland and then Ticktum. 

In the other two quarter finals, Barnard beat Evans, and Ticktum beat Nyck de Vries.

Group stage

The group stage saw track conditions improve dramatically, with a major thunderstorm earlier in the day having soaked the circuit and led to third practice being cancelled. 

Saturday's polesitter Dennis suffered a frustrating session and was eliminated in the opening group, while championship leader Evans progressed.

Da Costa was quickest in the first group from Evans, with Barnard and Nato also progressing into the duels. 

In the second group, Wehrlein's Tokyo struggles continued after only going sixth-quickest in his group, leaving him to start from the sixth row. Mortara went fastest, and was joined by de Vries, Ticktum and Rowland.