Di Grassi rages after being taken out by Ticktum in Berlin: "Could never have worked"

In the Saturday race at the Formula E Berlin E-Prix characterised by many accidents, this was one of the most serious: Dan Ticktum drove into the side of Lucas di Grassi and ended the ABT driver's race. Although the Briton showed remorse and received a retrospective penalty, di Grassi is still annoyed about missing out on a chance to score points - and lashes out at the race organisers.

On lap 21 of 46, di Grassi - who was in a promising seventh place at the time - drove into the double right-hander at Turn 6/7, but ERT driver Ticktum came alongside him on the inside lane and shot him down. While the Brit was able to continue, di Grassi spun and had to retire from the race with a badly damaged car.

"Dan Ticktum took me out of the race," di Grassi told e-Formel.de shortly after the race. "He tried a manoeuvre that could never have worked. He simply crashed into my side, destroyed my front suspension and even the monocoque."

OH NO! ?

This was the moment that ended @LucasdiGrassi's race. @SUNMINIMEAL #BerlinEPrix pic.twitter.com/aOUQT0EAXj

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 11, 2024

"Another driver's mistake cost us the race and points, because we were in the top 10 at the time," said di Grassi, already knowing at the time what the FIA would announce a few minutes later: Ticktum received a 5-second time penalty, but this did not change his final result - 14th position.

Di Grassi: "The race director must do a better job"

Not enough for di Grassi: "The race director must do a better job and hand out sporting penalties, because there were several drivers in this race who deserved a penalty. Günther is one of them," says the 2017 champion.

"It wasn't the first time he's pushed people into the wall. But nothing happens - no penalties. That leads to others becoming more aggressive in order to get revenge. You just don't want to be the one who always gets squashed."

Ticktum: "My mistake at 60:40"

Ticktum's assessment of the situation is similar to that of di Grassi and the race organisers - although not quite as clear-cut: "I think it was 60:40 my fault. I've looked at all the perspectives in race control and you could argue that it was a racing accident. But there will be more people who would say it was my fault. And in the end, I did finish his race," said Ticktum to e-Formel.de.

But there was another variable in the situation: "He had Günther next to him on the outside lane, who missed his braking point - I didn't realise that. That forced Lucas to slow down through the corner. When I was halfway up to him, I thought he was giving me a bit more space."

Ticktum: "I feel bad"

"I actually only touched him lightly, but the wheels got caught, which pulled me to the left, so unfortunately I hit him a lot harder," explained Ticktum. "I feel bad that I took him out of the race, because he was running well."

In response to our enquiry, Ticktum confirmed that he had already spoken to di Grassi. "He's an intelligent and mature guy and knows that I don't want to finish his race or be an idiot. We both want the same thing. He understands that and isn't angry. It would be the same the other way round."

In general, most of the drivers in Formula E are very good racing drivers. "Some are perhaps more questionable, but di Grassi is not one of them," says Ticktum. Whether the two will become best friends before Sunday's race in Berlin is still doubtful.