One of the great names in Brazilian motorsport, Lucas di Grassi, who was Formula E champion in the 2016-17 season and had a stint in Formula 1, officially ended his career on the track this weekend. After more than thirty years dedicated to motorsport, the 42-year-old driver shared a touching photo with his son and, through an open letter, revisited his journey and presented his expectations for the future.
Di Grassi’s farewell took place atAugust 17, 2026, during the double round of the London ePrix, held in the United Kingdom. Competing for the Lola-Yamaha Team, the driver was unable to complete either of the two races and ended the Formula E season in 17th position, accumulating 32 points.
In his letter, the Brazilian reflected on his long trajectory. “After 30 years in motorsport, it’s time to hang up the helmet. But when I look at this photo, I don’t think about the end of my career. This is about what comes next. For three decades, racing has taught me that talent is never enough,” said Di Grassi.
He added the importance of other qualities besides pure talent. “It takes determination to keep going when things aren’t working, when the car isn’t fast enough, when people doubt you, when you lose, when you fail. It takes an almost irrational desire to win. And most of all, it takes extreme focus and the ability to ignore the noise, commit completely to a goal and keep moving forward long after most people would have stopped,” the driver noted.
Di Grassi also linked his career to the future, mentioning his son. “These qualities took me from a child who dreamed of racing a car to competing at the highest level of motorsports for 20 years. Now, I look at my son. My time behind the wheel is coming to an end. His generation is just beginning,” he said.
In Formula 1, Di Grassi played in 2010 for Virgin Racing. On the Formula E scene, he was one of the inaugural participants in the electric competition in 2014 and played a crucial role in the development of the GEN1, the first car model used in racing.
Over 12 years in Formula E, Di Grassi achieved an impressive record of 13 victories, 41 podiums and four pole positions. In addition to the 2017 title, the driver was among the top three in the category in the initial five seasons, adding two runner-up finishes (2015-16 and 2017-18) and two third places (2014-15 and 2018-19).
InApril 2026, Di Grassi had already signaled his intention to retire. Among the possibilities for the future, he is considering taking on a role as team leader, in addition to focusing on monitoring his son’s growth and development.
Di Grassi’s reflections in his farewell letter
The emotion of farewell was captured in the photo that accompanied the letter. “This photo is worth a thousand words. Today I race in Formula E for the last time. After 30 years in motorsport, it’s time to hang up the helmet. But when I look at this photo, I don’t think about the end of my career. This is about what comes next. For three decades, racing has taught me that talent is never enough,” he emphasized.
He reiterated the need for resilience: “It takes determination to keep going when things aren’t working, when the car isn’t fast enough, when people doubt you, when you lose, when you fail. It takes an almost irrational desire to win. And most of all, it takes extreme focus and the ability to tune out the noise, commit completely to a goal, and keep moving forward long after most people would have stopped.”
The message about the legacy and future of the new generation was a central point. “These qualities took me from a child who dreamed of racing a car to competing at the highest level of motorsport for 20 years. Now, I look at my son. My time behind the wheel is coming to an end. His generation is just beginning”, said the driver. This reflection on the passage of time and the importance of opening the way for new talents is a valuable element, contextualizing the impact of a veteran leaving the motorsport scene.
Di Grassi also expressed his hopes for his son. “I don’t know what he will choose to do, and it doesn’t have to be motorsport. But whatever it is, I hope he gives it everything he has. I hope he dreams big, learns to lose, picks himself up, works harder and never accepts that something is impossible simply because no one has done it before,” he said.
To conclude his letter, he highlighted: “One generation eventually needs to get out of the way so that the next can go further. Today, I take off my helmet. And, looking at this photo, I know exactly where my focus is now.”
Remember the milestones of Lucas di Grassi’s career on the track
After a childhood dedicated to karting, Lucas di Grassi began his journey in professional motorsport in 2002, securing second place in Formula Renault 2.0 Brazil. Subsequently, the driver participated in several stages of Formula 3, including the Sudamericana, British and Euro Series.
In 2006, Di Grassi joined the GP2 Series, which preceded the current Formula 2. He competed for four seasons, achieving a runner-up finish in 2007 and two third places in 2008 and 2009. His good performance in the access category took him to Formula 1 in 2010, where, however, he was unable to score points with the Virgin car, which was limited.
After leaving the main motorsport category, Lucas participated in some World Endurance Championship (WEC) races, with four appearances with Audi in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most important races in motor sport. His best result in the competition was second place, achieved in 2014.
In the same season, the Brazilian made his debut in Formula E, defending Audi Sport ABT. After two good performances in the initial years, Di Grassi became champion in 2016-17, beating Swiss Sebastien Buemi, another former F1 driver, in the final race.
Lucas di Grassi continued with Audi until the 2020-21 season, when the German team left Formula E. Subsequently, the driver competed for teams such as Venturi, Mahindra, ABT Cupra, and ended his career at Lola-Yamaha in 2024.
