Oliver Rowland unstoppable as Formula E title edges closer

Oliver Rowland has taken a huge step towards becoming Formula E world champion after winning the second race of this weekend's Tokyo E-Prix.

The Briton delivered for Nissan on home soil after converting pole position into a fifth victory of the season, finishing ahead of Pascal Wehrlein and Dan Ticktum. 

It marked Ticktum's first FE podium of his career, with the Cupra Kiro driver having briefly led early in the race. 

There was disappointment for title outsiders Taylor Barnard and Antonio Felix da Costa, who both retired from the race.

How the race unfolded

Championship leader Oliver Rowland started from pole position and made an excellent start once again, with Dan Ticktum and Pascal Wehrlein having remained in second and third. 

Only 21 cars started the race, with Mitch Evans' car having been too damaged for repair in time to start after a crash at Turn 16 during qualifying. Antonio Felix da Costa retired in the opening laps.

As always, the order changed on a regular basis as attack modes were taken, with Rowland having been bullied back from first to sixth by lap 21; however, he had the most attack mode still to take.

Once the top 10 had all taken their first attack modes, Wehrlein led from Ticktum and Taylor Barnard in what was a faster peloton race than usual.

Lap 23 and, remarkably, the top 10 all found themselves using their second attack mode. Due to having the most remaining, Rowland fought through back to the front.

He muscled his way past Wehrlein in a tiny gap, with the reigning world champion having had no answer. It left Rowland in the lead with five laps remaining, ahead of Wehrlein and Ticktum.

That was until drama on Lap 29, as contact from Edo Mortara sent Barnard into the wall, triggering a safety car. Due to the timing of the safety car, it left a one-lap dash at the end of the E-Prix. 

Energy saving was not required on the final lap due to sufficient energy levels, making it flat-out. In the end, the lead positions all remained the same.