This weekend’s inaugural São Paulo E-Prix will likely feel like a victory regardless of the result for Lucas di Grassi, as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship veteran prepares for his first ever home race in the all-electric championship.
After a four-week break, Formula E is back this weekend with a third consecutive new venue, as São Paulo prepares to host round six of the championship. For Di Grassi, this weekend is a monumental occasion, with the Brazilian having worked for ten years to get Formula E to race in Brazil. With Mahindra Racing having pulled out of the most recent round in Cape Town following safety concerns with their rear suspension, a big result by Di Grassi this weekend will feel that much more special.
The former champion’s friends and family are set to be trackside this weekend, with the Brazilian hoping that his home nation catch the Formula E bug following Saturday’s race. Di Grassi knows that the sport isn’t currently massive in Brazil; however, he’s hopeful that this weekend’s event will be a massive turning point for the sport in his country.
“I’m super excited for my home race. It’s been 10 years of work to get here. Finally being able to race at home is a huge honour, in front of my friends, my supporters and my family in the place I grew up, and in front of the Brazilian fans.
“I don’t think Formula E is known enough in Brazil and this race will definitely help that. From the team side, we are going to fight as hard as we can to get a good result and try to get back to the same level of performance that we had at the start of the season. We are going to work extra hard to make it happen.”
“We will be looking to bounce back” – Oliver Rowland
On the other side of the Mahindra garage, Oliver Rowland is hoping to “bounce back” from the disappointment of not being able to race in Cape Town, with the team having a lot of catching up to do.
Being forced to miss the Cape Town E-Prix was massively disappointing for Rowland, who entered the recent round on the back of finishing sixth in Hyderabad, India. As a result of the issue with the car, all of Rowland’s momentum has gone, with the side now having completed one race less than their competitors, meaning they are behind in the Gen3 data race.
With this weekend being another new venue, though, it does present Rowland with some opportunities, which he grasped with both hands in India. Looking ahead to the weekend, Rowland is hopeful that his team “will be strong” around the “tight and twisty” new venue, to help them move up the standings.
“This week we’re racing at another new track, which always presents a bit of a challenge. It looks quite tight and twisty, which will add an exciting element. We will be looking to bounce back, and we will be strong and fully focused after having a good rest since leaving South Africa. It’s obviously Lucas’ home race too so we will be looking to get some strong results for the team.”
