Lucas Di Grassi had recently announced that he would retire from racing at the end of the season after failing to score in the opening eight races. However, the Lola Yamaha ABT driver finally opened his account in Monaco, finishing 10th in both races of the double-header weekend. He has now reflected on the result and also explained one of the most frequently asked fan questions about the behaviour of a Formula E car on an uphill section.
Lucas Di Grassi on earning his first points at Monaco E-Prix
Di Grassi collected a total of six points in Monaco, his first points of the season. Speaking about the achievement, he told FormulaE.com in an interview, “We scored points in both races in Monaco, which is a fantastic result and one we have not achieved before. We managed to execute the races very well and the team thoroughly deserved these points. Even though, of course, we want to be fighting for wins and podiums, this is a great step, and consistent points finishes are an amazing result.”
Sharing his plans for the next race in China, Di Grassi added, “Now we have to analyse what went right and what went wrong over the weekend so we can be prepared for Sanya next month and try to score more points there.”
Lucas Di Grassi explains an interesting fact about Formula E cars
Following the Monaco weekend, Lucas Di Grassi also addressed one of the most common fan questions, how electric cars behave while climbing uphill towards Casino Square.
Explaining the experience in a video, he said, “The truth is, from a driver’s perspective, you barely feel it. You don't really notice the uphill. You're going so fast that it basically feels like driving on a flat surface.”
“It’s only under braking, right at the very top, that you feel the car getting light. And in terms of energy, because it’s a lap, you have to go up and then come back down. So the extra energy used to climb, which is marginal compared to the amount of energy already spent accelerating the car, you recuperate on the way down. So it’s actually neutral. Whether you have an up-and-down circuit or a flat circuit, it’s effectively the same thing,” he added.
Di Grassi also visited a local school in Monaco to inspire young minds. He interacted with children and spoke about his racing career, motorsport, and the importance of maths and engineering.