Lucas di Grassi brought an end to a four-year wait for a Formula E victory with a stunning triumph in the second race of the Shanghai E-Prix double-header.
The win marked not only the Brazilian’s first success since London in 2022, but also secured Lola’s maiden Formula E victory. Remarkably, di Grassi climbed from the back of the grid after starting last.
However, the Brazilian driver is under investigation for overtaking under yellow flags. So his win could still be taken away from him if he is found guilty.
Persistent rain throughout the day at the Shanghai International Circuit created difficult conditions, although the showers eased before the race got underway.
With the track expected to dry, both the soon-to-retire di Grassi and runner-up Jean-Eric Vergne took a gamble by opting for a dry-weather setup. Their strategy paid off as the circuit gradually improved, allowing both drivers to charge through the field and battle for the lead.
Holding a final Attack Mode activation, di Grassi made his decisive move at Turn 1 on the last lap to snatch victory. The result further extended his record as Formula E’s oldest race winner. Vergne crossed the line in second, while rookie Joel Eriksson completed the podium in third.
Pascal Wehrlein finished fourth, a result that moved him to the top of the drivers’ championship standings after Mitch Evans was unable to take the start.
Evans was forced out before the race due to a failure with the championship-supplied DC/DC inverter. His non-start leaves him nine points adrift of Wehrlein in the title battle.
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