Lucas di Grassi: “It wasn’t easy and I had to fight until the last corner, but we made it”

Lucas di Grassi moved himself firmly into championship contention after taking a superb victory in the opening race of the Berlin E-Prix on Saturday, his second triumph of the 2020-21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season.

The Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver started third after impressing in Qualifying earlier in the day, and he shadowed the DS Techeetah duo of Jean-Éric Vergne and António Félix da Costa in the early laps before passing them both to take over the lead.

He lost the lead when Edoardo Mortara took advantage of using his attack mode, but the Brazilian bided his time and retook the ROKiT Venturi Racing driver for the lead when he used his own attack mode.  From there on in, it was a case of holding off the charge from the Swiss racer, and he did so, albeit by just 0.141 seconds at the chequered flag!

Di Grassi says the performance of his Audi improved significantly overnight after he struggled when he took part in practice on Friday, and although he found it difficult to keep Mortara behind him, he was delighted to take the chequered flag first for yet another Formula E victory, his twelfth overall. 

“The first free practice on Friday was difficult,” said di Grassi, who moves up to sixth place in the Drivers’ Championship thanks to his victory, just eight points behind leader Nyck de Vries. “But the team did a great job overnight. The car felt fantastic today. Thanks for that!

“After I took the lead, it was all about keeping Edo behind me. It wasn’t easy and I had to fight until the last corner, but we made it.”