Lucas di Grassi, the man of the moment
The ABT Schaeffler driver continues to impress in the world of electric single-seaters. Impressively fast and consistent, Lucas di Grassi looks back on his victory in the streets of Paris.
Qualified in second position just behind Sam Bird, di Grassi did not leave any driver the task of leading and winning the first Paris ePrix.
From the start, the Brazilian had a better momentum than the Briton, allowing him to be the first to enter the inside of turn 1. However, things were not as simple as they might seem.
For our race winner, it was the toughest start of the season. The weather conditions were very challenging, with the low temperature (around fifteen degrees on the track) we had to warm up the tires as best as possible. I got a better start compared to Bird, I was able to immediately put him in my rearview mirrors!
I also had to manage the loss of tire temperatures, particularly during slowdowns.
The rest of the adventure was only more exhilarating for di Grassi, who was never really
worried even if Jean-Eric Vergne apparently had a strategy for the end of the race
But thanks to Qing Ma’s accident, the arrival turned into a simple procession, thus triumphantly unfolding after the 45th pass on the Boulevard des Invalides.
In unison with the general mindset of the drivers, this race will be memorable.
Two winners on this picture: @LucasdiGrassi for the race and Alejandro Agag for making the #ParisePrix possible! pic.twitter.com/3VXidIHP1j
— ABT Formula E Team (@abt_formula_e) April 23, 2016
« To be honest, competing in Paris is something fantastic. It was an exceptional show in the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I hope we will be racing here for a long time to come. »
Nothing seems to be stopping Lucas di Grassi at the moment. **The leader of the standings even allowed himself to compare to the great Formula 1 champions of his generation: Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.** All three were indeed born between 1984 and 1987.
On the sidelines of this Parisian weekend, di Grassi had indeed stated that the Ferrari driver and the Mercedes driver would encounter difficulties adapting to the particularities of Formula E.
« Despite the fact that they are the best drivers of our generation, I am convinced they would find Formula E demanding. They would have to learn the tracks, which are all new and urban, meaning you can hardly practice directly on them. »
I think I will soon invite them to come and participate in a race with us, just to see how it would go for them. I’m sure there would be a real competition.
But it is not guaranteed that both drivers will accept the invitation. On this subject, Sebastian Vettel was very skeptical in 2014, at the time of the creation of the Formula E project. He had even admitted to not appreciating the discipline at all. With these cars, you don’t hear any noise, just wind. You don’t feel anything with this kind of car.
