Formula E pioneer Lucas di Grassi reveals how he brought Audi, ABT & Virgin into the championship

Lucas di Grassi was not only one of Formula E's most successful drivers but also played an important role in building the championship. During a media roundtable, the Brazilian revealed that he helped bring Audi, ABT and Virgin Racing into the series, as well as securing several major sponsors. Surprisingly, his original job was not to develop Formula E's first race car.

When Lucas di Grassi joined Alejandro Agag's Formula E project in July 2012, the inaugural season was still more than two years away. There was neither a race-ready car nor a complete grid of teams. The Brazilian would later play a key role in developing Formula E's first cars. However, as the 2016/17 champion explained following his retirement, this was not originally his main responsibility.

"I feel very proud that I helped to create the Formula E ecosystem from the very beginning," di Grassi said during a media roundtable attended by e-Formula.news. "I was not hired to develop anything. I was actually hired to build the business up because we didn't have a car."

Personal connections proved key to Formula E's early success

"When Alejandro Agag hired me in July 2012, we wouldn't have a car until December 2013. So that was one and a half years of bringing teams into the championship," he explained. "I brought Virgin Racing into Formula E because of my past with the Virgin Racing Formula 1 team. I also brought Audi and ABT into Formula E."

Di Grassi had competed for Audi in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), while ABT already had close ties with the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer, particularly through its involvement in the DTM. ABT Sportsline competed in Formula E from the championship's inaugural season, with Audi initially involved as a partner before taking over the operation as a full factory team for the 2017/18 season.

Formula E drivers' programme aimed to attract established names

"I brought teams, I brought drivers, I created the Drivers Programme, which was a way to bring high-level drivers and get a financial discount for the teams back in the very beginning," di Grassi recalled. "I said to Alejandro, we need high-credibility drivers for Formula E to succeed."

An important part of the early efforts to attract drivers was the Formula E Drivers' Club, which was introduced in January 2014 with an initial group of eight drivers, including di Grassi himself, Sebastien Buemi, Marco Andretti, Karun Chandhok and Takuma Sato. By joining the programme, the drivers publicly expressed their interest in the new championship and were given the opportunity to gain their first experience behind the wheel of a Formula E car. At the same time, the newly established teams could draw on a pool of experienced drivers who had already shown an interest in competing in the series.

Julius Baer & CBMM: Di Grassi also helped bring sponsors to Formula E

Di Grassi also played a role in attracting sponsors to the championship. "I brought sponsors like Julius Baer and CBMM to Formula E," he explained.

Securing such partners was particularly important during the championship's early stages, when Formula E had yet to hold its first race and potential backers had to be convinced to support an entirely new motorsport concept. In Julius Baer, di Grassi named a sponsor that had been associated with Formula E since its inaugural season and remained one of its long-standing partners until the end of Season 12.

"So I helped to create a business in every different area at the very beginning," he said. "And that's apart from what I achieved on the track."

Di Grassi also played a defining role in Formula E's sporting history. Across twelve seasons, he won 14 E-Prix, claimed 42 podium finishes and scored a total of 1,109 points. His greatest achievement was winning the Drivers' Championship in the 2016/17 season. However, his account highlights how his contribution to Formula E extended far beyond his achievements on the track. According to di Grassi, he also played a major role in laying the commercial foundations of the championship.

 

Lucas di Grassi was not only one of Formula E’s most successful drivers, but also played a key role in establishing the racing series. In a press conference, the Brazilian revealed that, amongst other things, he brought Audi, ABT and Virgin Racing into the championship and even secured high-profile sponsors. Surprisingly, however, his original role was not to develop the first Formula E car.

When Lucas di Grassi joined Alejandro Agag’s Formula E project in July 2012, the first season was still more than two years away. There was neither a race car ready for action nor a full starting grid. The Brazilian later played a played a key role in the development of the first Formula E cars. But as the 2016/17 champion reported after retiring, this wasn’t actually his main role to begin with.

‘I’m very proud that, right from the start, I helped build the entire Formula E ecosystem,’ said Lucas di Grassi during a press conference, which was also attended by e-Formel.de. ‘I wasn’t hired to develop anything. My job was rather to build up the business, because at that time we didn’t even have a car.’

Personal contacts as the key to success

“When Alejandro Agag hired me in July 2012, it was clear that we wouldn’t have a car until December 2013. So we spent a year and a half securing teams for the championship,’ he explains. ‘Thanks to my background with the Formula 1 team, I also brought Virgin Racing into Formula E. I also secured Audi and ABT for the championship.’

He had competed for Audi in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), whilst ABT was, at that time, closely linked to the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer, partly through the DTM. The ABT Sportsline team competed in the very first Formula E season; Audi was initially involved as a partner and took over full works involvement from the 2017/18 season.

The Formula E driver programme was designed to bring big names into the racing series

‘I brought teams and drivers into the championship. I also launched the drivers’ programme. Our aim from the outset was to attract top-class drivers whilst at the same time offering the teams financial relief. I told Alejandro that we needed drivers with a high level of credibility for Formula E to be successful.”

A key component of the early driver recruitment drive was the Formula E Drivers’ Club, which was unveiled in January 2014 with an initial line-up of eight drivers, including di Grassi himself, Sébastien Buemi, Marco Andretti, Karun Chandhok and Takuma Sato. The drivers thereby publicly expressed their interest in the new championship and were given the opportunity to gain initial experience with the Formula E car. At the same time, the newly formed teams were able to draw on a pool of established and interested drivers.

Julius Bär & CBMM: Di Grassi also brought sponsors into Formula E

Di Grassi was also involved in securing sponsorships, as he explains. ‘I also brought sponsors such as Julius Bär and CBMM into Formula E.’ Securing such partners was particularly important in the early stages, when Formula E had not yet held any races and had to convince potential investors of a completely new motorsport concept. Di Grassi cites Julius Bär as a sponsor that has supported Formula E since its debut season and remained one of its long-standing partners until the end of Season 12.

“So I helped build up the business in all sorts of areas right from the start,” he explains. “And that’s on top of what I’ve achieved on the racetrack.”

On the sporting front, too, di Grassi has played a decisive role in shaping the history of Formula E. Over twelve seasons, he has won 14 E-Prix, stood on the podium 42 times and amassed a total of 1,109 points. His greatest achievement was winning the drivers’ title in the 2016/17 season. However, his own accounts make it clear that the Brazilian’s contributions extend far beyond his sporting successes: by his own account, he also played a key role in the championship’s commercial development.