Lucas di Grassi may transfer right into a administration function at Lola or assist form future System E laws after he hangs up his helmet on the finish of the 2025-26 season.
The Brazilian introduced final week that he would retire as knowledgeable driver after a glittering profession spanning System 1, the World Endurance Championship and System E, amongst different classes.
However whereas he will not be on the grid initially of System E’s extremely anticipated Gen4 period, he intends to stay carefully concerned and will take up a place the place he can straight affect the championship’s future.
Few drivers have wielded as a lot affect past the cockpit as di Grassi, whose story is carefully intertwined with System E’s. As its first official driver and race winner, he has been a continuing presence within the sequence and one in every of its most vocal supporters. He has additionally been a staunch advocate of electrical mobility and the transition away from combustion engines.
System E is about to make an enormous leap on the finish of this yr with the introduction of the Gen4 automobile, which might be able to producing as much as 800bhp and lapping at speeds not too removed from System 1.
Whereas any driver would relish the possibility to race such equipment, di Grassi sees it as the best second to shift his focus in direction of making an affect past driving duties.
“It was a choice that I took after occupied with it for a really very long time,” the 41-year-old instructed Motorsport.com.
“I made a decision to name it this yr due to the transition to Gen4. With this huge transition throughout the group and throughout the championship, there’s lots of worth I may add outdoors of the automobile than racing the automobile.
“I may nonetheless add worth contained in the automobile, however I feel I may add extra worth outdoors and focusing my efforts on constructing one thing greater and utilizing this transition as leverage to start out the second part of my profession, higher than doing one other yr or two years [driving the car].
“I already gained a title, I already gained many races. I’d relatively begin the following 20 years as early as I can and work from there.”
Lucas di Grassi, Lola Yamaha ABT System E Crew Lola-Yamaha T001
Picture by: Simon Galloway / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
After Lola’s takeover by Until Bechtolsheimer, the model returned to motorsport in 2024, partnering with the Abt group in System E.
Whereas outcomes have been far and few for Lola thus far, given its rivals already had a two-year benefit with the event of the programme, the British marque can benefit from a level-playing area in Gen4 to maneuver up the entrance.
Di Grassi has already been concerned in creating Lola’s Gen4 powertrain and will tackle a much bigger function throughout the firm, significantly because it builds its personal in-house operations after splitting with Abt.
On the similar time, di Grassi may be part of System E and form the very way forward for the sequence. He stays very optimistic concerning the championship’s potential and believes it may turn into the quickest sequence on the planet with additional technical improvements down the road.
Requested about his subsequent transfer, di Grassi stated: “One or the opposite. So both the group or the championship.
“I feel there’s a big alternative in Gen4 for the groups and championship. I additionally really feel there’s a must make it possible for with Gen5 we create the quickest motorsport automobile on the planet, so there’s nonetheless an enormous step [to do] from Gen4 to Gen5.
“There are such a lot of initiatives to do. From the championship to the group. I am very glad that I am along with Lola. So, making a legacy along with Lola [could be an option], so if I may assist the group as nicely. I am nonetheless creating the Gen4 [powertrain].
“I am nonetheless ending the cycle, I am nonetheless going to be near the group for the following months to return. Additionally, it is a very fascinating problem to be with the group which is final within the grid now, to be one of many high runners. That is a really cool problem to do.
“It is not my focus proper now. My focus proper now’s to do nicely within the subsequent 9 races. Will probably be a dream come true to have the ability to win one in every of these 11 races or do one other podium like we did final yr, to complete on the excessive, and we’re gonna work very onerous to try this.”
Lola group principal Mark Preston left the door open for di Grassi to stay concerned on the squad after retirement, revealing that discussions had already taken place about what such a task may seem like.
“He is been occupied with [when to retire] for some time and it is fairly apparent he is been occupied with what he does subsequent,” Preston instructed Motorsport.com. “We have been speaking about what he may do persevering with with Lola.
“I am not tremendous shocked [by his decision to retire], though he is clearly completed a tremendous quantity for this championship. I’ve raced in opposition to him for a few years [while working with Techeetah], so it is at all times good to be racing with him now, and we’ll sit up for seeing what he does subsequent.
“He is put so much into the championship, so hopefully he can proceed supporting us as we go ahead as nicely.”
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