Lucas Di Grassi on Shanghai E-Prix victory: “I won the first race in China, there's nothing better than winning my last”

Lucas Di Grassi claimed victory in Shanghai, more than a decade after he won the first-ever Formula E race in the country. This is also his first win since 2022. Di Grassi, who won in China in 2014, remains the series' oldest race winner at 41 years and 328 days old, establishing a new record as the series' oldest podium finisher.

He celebrated his win in style, with happiness writ large on his face as he graced the podium. Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds also hailed him in a note he penned on Instagram after the race.

Lucas Di Grassi expresses happiness at still winning races

Lucas Di Grassi won the Formula E World Championship in 2016-17. He utilised his final Attack Mode, all-wheel-drive boost strategically following the conclusion of a Full Course Yellow - caused by his team-mate Zane Maloney stopping on track due to a suspension failure - to close the gap to the leaders.

He overtook Envision Racing’s Joel Eriksson at the hairpin on the penultimate lap and subsequently moved past Jean-Eric Vergne at Turn 1 on the final lap to take the lead.

JEV finished second, and Eriksson joined the two on the podium after finishing third.

Talking after his unexpected win, Di Grassi said, “I won the first race here in China - there's nothing better than winning my last. We took the right risks today, but in the position we were, we had to take those risks, and I'm so glad we managed to make it.

It was a great battle with JEV [Jean-Eric Vergne], a great battle with Joel [Eriksson] at the end, and I'm so happy that we pulled it off. We've been working flat out, it's not always been easy, but moments like this are why we do all of this.

I'm still winning races!”

Jeff Dodds calls Lucas Di Grassi’s Shanghai win legendary

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds penned a note on how the Shanghai E-Prix panned out. He wrote: “A demanding race in the rain delivered an absolute spectacle here in Shanghai.

Huge congratulations to @lucasdigrassi and @lolaformulae on taking their first victory as a constructor. Lucas won our first-ever race back in Beijing in 2014, and to stand on the top step today in his final race in China before his retirement is a legendary, full-circle moment for the Championship.

Today’s podium truly embodies the spirit of Formula E - a debut win for Lola Yamaha ABT and a brilliant maiden podium for @joeleracing at @envisionracing’s home race.”

“That wraps up an unforgettable three-race tour in China this season. A massive thank you to our incredible partners, fans, and the local community for making it possible. We cannot wait to return next year to unleash GEN4 on these technical tracks. Next stop: We carry this momentum straight to Japan for our first-ever night-race double-header in Tokyo on 25 and 26 July,” he added.Lucas Di Grassi will be retiring from racing at the end of this season, a decision he shared a few months back. The Formula E veteran, however, has other plans in motorsport.