Formula E veteran Lucas Di Grassi to retire, thanks family and colleagues in emotional note: “This decision comes with emotion, but also peace”

Lola Yamaha ABT driver Lucas Di Grassi, who has played a pivotal role in the birth and evolution of Formula E, has announced his retirement. The 41-year-old will hang up his boots as a professional driver at the end of this season. He penned a note to share his decision, adding that his future remains bright and that he will provide an update soon. His fellow Formula E drivers, including Oliver Rowland, Jean-Eric Vergne and Zane Maloney, sent him touching messages following the announcement of his retirement.

Lucas Di Grassi announces retirement, shares video

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Lucas Di Grassi shared a video message along with a note to announce his retirement plans and express gratitude to all those he has worked with in Formula E.

He said in the note: “After a lifetime devoted to automotive, 2026 will mark my last season as a professional driver. Not the end of the journey, but the start of a new chapter. Motorsport has been my life for as long as I can remember. It gave me discipline and resilience even before I understood why I needed them, and purpose in moments when the path ahead was far from clear. From the suburbs of São Paulo to Monaco, racing has shaped my life in ways I could never have imagined. This has deeply transformed me as a driver, as a person, as a father and as a human being. I gave this sport everything I had, and in return, it has given me a life beyond anything I could ever dream of.”

Thanking his family for their support, he added: “I am deeply grateful to my family, who have supported me since day one. Every sacrifice, every difficult decision, every moment away from home since I was 17, every victory and every defeat has been experienced with them. Without their love, patience and trust, none of this would have been possible. I have a wonderful wife and children who helped me make this decision.”

Expressing gratitude to his colleagues, he said: “A very special thank you to Formula E, where I’ve spent the last fourteen years surrounded by extraordinary people — people who started by writing on napkins and created an incredible championship, and who today I consider family. Formula E is my home, and my home is Formula E.”

“This decision comes with emotion, but also peace. Every great race has a last lap, and I want mine to be guided with the same intensity, commitment and passion that got me here. I’m going to give it my all in my final races in 2026. The future is bright, and I’ll share more news with you soon,” he signed off.

Oliver Rowland, Nick Cassidy react to Lucas Di Grassi’s retirement news

Reacting to his retirement, his Lola Yamaha ABT team-mate Zane Maloney wrote in the comments: “Been a pleasure, let’s finish off strong.”
Nick Cassidy also wrote: “Fair play Lucas, an amazing career, inspiration to many, and thanks for being a great ambassador to @fiaformulae. Hope there are lots of great times in the paddock still ahead!”

His DS Penske team-mate Jean-Éric Vergne added: “Congrats man on all those years!!! Been a pleasure to share the track with you. All the best for the future.”

Nissan driver Oliver Rowland wrote: “It was a pleasure to share the garage with you! What a journey you’ve had! Congrats, legend!”

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