Breaking news
Formula E Mexico City E-prix
Di Grassi “couldn’t believe” epic last-lap Mexico City win
Audi's Lucas di Grassi says his dramatic last-gasp victory at the Mexico City E-Prix was the “best win” of his ABB FIA Formula E career.
Tom Errington
Published: Feb 17, 2019, 3:19 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Di Grassi hounded long-time race leader Pascal Wehrlein’s Mahindra on the final lap and pressured his rival into the heavy braking zone of Turn 1, before darting down the inside of Turn 3 and forcing the Mahindra driver to cut the corner.
While that move earned Wehrlein a post-race five-second penalty, the Mahindra driver stayed ahead of second-placed di Grassi on track.
But di Grassi's pressure eventually told when the Mahindra machine ran out of energy approaching the start/finish line and di Grassi squeezed past to win. The 2016/17 champion's late move ensured his ninth victory in FE.
3
Di Grassi said: “I have to say, [it was] probably the best Formula E race of my career today because it was a mixture of having the patience to save energy in the beginning. Then because it was difficult to overtake, I had to make the moves in the correct moment.
“I managed to overtake [Nissan's Oliver] Rowland when he went into attack mode [on lap 35 of 45].”
Di Grassi added that he felt Wehrlein was “more than aggressive” in his late-race defending, adding: “I knew he was running out of energy. I was putting pressure on him, trying to overtake him all of the last five laps.
“And then, in the chicane coming out of Turn 3, I could see every corner he left he was defending, closing the door, and was going to the outside. On the last lap I was behind him and pretended to go to the outside and he left a door, a door small enough to go down the inside between the wall and the kerb and I went there.
“I went side-by-side with him and then he cut the chicane [at Turn 4]. Probably he would get a penalty anyway, but that was the move [that was key].
“After that he was closing the door [while in the lead], Antonio was coming behind so I had to look in the mirror and try to overtake him so it was a crazy last lap.
“Then on the start/finish line I closed and at the last corner he was closing the door, I went side close to the wall and managed to win it. I couldn’t believe it!”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Mexico City E-Prix: Di Grassi grabs last-gasp win from Wehrlein
Next article Buemi "speechless" at Nissan's Mexico energy miscalculation
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Tom Errington
Eaton "got it wrong" with initial W Series criticism
W Series
W Series
Eaton "got it wrong" with initial W Series criticism
Hamilton still revisits texts from "great pillar" Lauda
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton still revisits texts from "great pillar" Lauda
DTM finalising hybrid powertrain spec for 2022 debut
DTM
DTM
DTM finalising hybrid powertrain spec for 2022 debut
More from
Lucas di Grassi
Everything that went wrong in Lucas di Grassi’s farewell Formula E weekend
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
Everything that went wrong in Lucas di Grassi’s farewell Formula E weekend
How Sebastien Buemi and Lucas Di Grassi wrote Formula E’s history
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix I
How Sebastien Buemi and Lucas Di Grassi wrote Formula E’s history
More from
Mahindra Racing
How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet
Mahindra is a Formula E frontrunner again, but will it end its five-year victory drought?
Formula E
Formula E
Jeddah ePrix II
Mahindra is a Formula E frontrunner again, but will it end its five-year victory drought?
Mahindra to begin Gen4 testing in May after delayed board approval
Formula E
Formula E
Jeddah ePrix II
Mahindra to begin Gen4 testing in May after delayed board approval
Latest news
Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
45 min
Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP
Jorge Martin will be "almost 100% fit" in Portugal as heroic Qatar display keeps title hopes alive
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
52 min
Jorge Martin will be "almost 100% fit" in Portugal as heroic Qatar display keeps title hopes alive
Five quick takeaways from Brazilian GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Five quick takeaways from Brazilian GP
F1 Brazilian GP: Lando Norris wins in mixed conditions, Mercedes clinch constructors’ title
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
F1 Brazilian GP: Lando Norris wins in mixed conditions, Mercedes clinch constructors’ title
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe