Gary Paffett predicts the 2026 Tokyo E-Prix
CUPRA KIRO’s Racing Director, Gary Paffett, attempts to predict the 2026 Tokyo E-Prix in collaboration with Duelbits…
Just two events and four races remain in the 2025/26 FIA Formula E World Championship, and this weekend, the season intensifies as the series returns to Japan for the first-ever night edition of the Tokyo E-Prix.
Tight, technical and ruthlessly unforgiving at the best of times, the Tokyo Street Circuit has delivered its fair share of action since joining the Formula E calendar in 2024 and now, with rain on the horizon and under lights for the first time, the challenge is set to evolve once more.
CUPRA KIRO's Racing Director, Gary Paffett, is one of the most experienced figures in the Formula E paddock, and on the eve of the 2026 Tokyo E-Prix, shares his opinion on what might happen in Japan, in collaboration with Duelbits.
The Night Racing Curveball
“Racing in Tokyo under lights is completely new for 2026. The slightly cooler conditions at night should make life a little easier from a tyre management perspective, but it also means that we’ll have very little representative running before the races. Teams that can adapt quickly in FP1 could have a real advantage, but with the weather looking volatile across the weekend, preparation will be very difficult.”
The Late Attack Mode Payoff
“Out of all of the races on the schedule, Tokyo has shown us that patience usually prevails when it comes to Attack Mode. Last season, some of the drivers who waited the longest to use their activations were the ones who fought for the podium and the win. I think we’ll see something similar again this season, with the decisive moves coming in the second half of the race, not the first.”
Safety Car Guesswork
“We’ve had a Safety Car in every Formula E race held in Tokyo to date, so history suggests that there’s a good chance we’ll see another one this weekend. The difficulty that stems from a Safety Car is that if it appears during an Attack Mode, it can completely change the complexion of your race. We know that far too well from Shanghai. Sometimes the strategy can be perfect, but you still need the timing to go your way.”
Don’t Let The Track Fool You…
“Tokyo is a tight, technical, and challenging track, so on paper, it doesn’t look like a circuit where you’d expect a lot of overtaking. In reality, Formula E has produced some fantastic racing here, particularly when strategies start to converge towards the end of each race. Track position is very important, but we’ve seen that it’s possible to come from well down the order and fight for victory with Pit Boost.”
The Extra Lap Factor
“Both races are one lap longer this year, and while this might not sound like much, in Formula E, it changes targets completely. Drivers will have more usable energy to play with, but they’ll also have to manage that energy over a longer period. The extra lap adds another element to the strategy, and it will be an important factor this weekend.”
Want to find out how accurate Gary's predictions were?
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