JPlanteX won Australia E2 from pole to claim a first IMS victory for Mercedes. Quenooo29 recovered from 12th to finish second and Murts9691 held third from third.
The pole conversion delivered 32 points and Mercedes' only victory of the round. It also made JPlante the nearest listed driver to quenooo in the E2 standings.
Second in points, 59 behind
Quenooo retained the E2 lead on 156 points after scoring 24 for second. JPlante reached 97 with the win, leaving 59 points between them before the final round.
The gap was large; the change in role still mattered. JPlante entered Japan as the named second-place driver because Australia had converted a 32-point opportunity into the maximum result.
Mercedes reaches third in the team round
Mercedes scored 124 BOTT points, with one win, three podiums and four top-five finishes. Only Ferrari on 144 and Red Bull on 132 scored more.
Japan came next with JPlante carrying a victory and the only supplied chase position behind quenooo. The title arithmetic was demanding; the Australian result had at least earned the right to attempt it.
