4.3 seconds faster than Formula 1 in Monaco: Lucas di Grassi & Lola present concept car DGR-Lola

Lola Yamaha ABT driver Lucas di Grassi presented the DGR-Lola on Tuesday afternoon: An electric concept car with fully active aerodynamics, improved modular battery design and software integration and 600 kW of power. In a simulation of the race track in Monaco, the vehicle was 4.3 seconds faster and ten times more efficient than a Formula 1 racing car.

More information will follow shortly.

For many years now, Lucas di Grassi has been regarded not only as a racing driver but also as a visionary. Back in 2020, he spoke to e-Formula.news about his own Gen3 concept, which bears some similarities to the recently unveiled Gen4 car – di Grassi was clearly ahead of his time with his vision.

The Brazilian also wants to use this concept to drive innovation forward. In addition to the sporting element, he wants to offer a vehicle that presents a certain challenge even for the "best drivers". The goal: to get the most out of an electric racing car that can be used on as many race tracks around the world as possible, using the technical means available today and without any regulations.

Nevertheless, di Grassi wants to stay true to what is realistically feasible. According to his own statement, he wants his design to inspire racing series, explicitly including Formula E.

2 turbines and 4 modular battery components

The technical specifications are impressive: 600 kW of power, all-wheel drive and a 60 kWh battery consisting of four modular components. These are located at the front, sides and rear of the car. For qualifying, where only a small amount of energy is required, the side battery components can be removed to reduce weight.

There are two turbines on the sides of the vehicle, which are designed to provide maximum traction and efficiency using the ground effect, reinforced by the diffuser. The car has active aerodynamics, which are aimed not only at performance but also at cooling the vehicle. The concept is rounded off by wheel covers, which are also designed to improve safety by preventing spray from being thrown up in wet conditions, thus providing better visibility than in Formula racing.

"This project should serve as an inspiration for the future generations of electric racing cars," describes the Formula E champion of season 3. "The question of whether such cars can be faster than Formula 1 has been answered with data and simulation. My plan is to build this car in the next two years."

McCool: "A car which pushes the boundaries of what is possible"

"At Lola, we are always looking for new ways to drive innovation through motorsport," explains Peter McCool, Technical Director at Lola Cars. "Supporting Lucas with this design through utilising our in-house expertise and state-of-the-art R&D facilities was a perfect project for this. The result is a car which pushes the boundaries of what is possible in electric racing through maximising technological solutions which are already available."

But how did this idea come about in the first place? "I love engineering," di Grassi explained in a press conference, which e-Formula.news also attended. "That's one of the reasons why I started racing in the first place. Even as a child, I built Lego cars and later remote-controlled cars. When I got into karting, I always took my kart home and looked after it myself. I think it helps my career a lot that I can explain what I want for my car, no matter which racing series I was competing in."

"The reason I had to build the concept was to prove that my assumptions based on the data and simulations were correct," he continues. "We can't just believe; we have to go by what the data tells us. At many stages during the development of the car, I wanted to do something that didn't match the data. So we had to keep working and find the right solutions. In the end, it was fulfilling to see that most of the assumptions were correct and we were able to develop our product that way."