Lucas di Grassi is the most successful Brazilian racing driver of the decade. He was the Formula E world champion in 2017, runner-up in 2016 and 2018, and holds the record for the most podium finishes (32 and counting). In a career lasting more than two decades, he has raced in Formula 1, Formula 3 and Le Mans. And yet di Grassi’s tireless, pioneering work as an environmental campaigner easily matches his achievements on the track: “Yes, I am a racing driver,” he says, “but I am driven by a deep desire to learn how to make the world a better place.”

When di Grassi was just 20, he created a website that explained how motorists could cut carbon emissions by driving more efficiently. Nearly 20 years later, he is an ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program, a global initiative to improve air quality in large cities. The role has taken him to the front line in the fight against pollution. Di Grassi was shocked by what he witnessed during a visit to New Delhi in 2018: “The air quality is so bad that people struggle to breathe”, he says. “The challenge is much greater than we think. It’s our duty to do something”. 

Di Grassi’s “something” is sustainable transport: “My mission is simple”, he says, “I want more electric cars on the road and clean air where our children play. We will achieve both when we stop relying on fossil fuels.”

Since his first all-electric race in 2014, he has become one of the biggest stars in Formula E, using his profile to highlight the benefits of electric cars (EVs) and e-mobility: “Motorsport’s core purpose”, he believes, “is to help society through innovation. Racing fans will embrace electric power when they realise you don’t need pistons and fumes for a thrilling race.”

São Paulo: Sustainability in the Sambadrome
The Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix marks the start of a new chapter for a country with a rich motoring heritage. It is also a source of great personal pride for di Grassi: “The news of São Paulo hosting the race was music to my ears. I was born just a few minutes from the circuit; it is a dream come true to be racing in front of my home crowd.”

Why has it taken so long for Formula E to land on Brazilian soil? “I have been trying to take the Championship to Brazil for ten years, but finding the right sponsors at the right time has meant the stars never quite aligned – until now,” says di Grassi. He believes the event, scheduled just one month after carnival weekend, will capture the hearts of Brazilian racing fans and ignite interest in Formula E across South America: “Our history makes a difference,” he says. “Brazil already had world champions in Formula 1 and Formula E. Racing is in our blood, and Formula E builds on this tradition.”

The race’s spectacular setting sparked excitement when it was announced last year, while the opportunity for fans to see Formula E’s all-new car for themselves triggered a surge in interest.

Like many races in Formula E, drivers in São Paulo will compete on a street circuit in the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Cars will race wheel to wheel at up to 200 mph against a backdrop of palm trees and skyscrapers. Di Grassi relishes the prospect: “Can you imagine it – the starting grid is in the Sambadrome. We are swapping carnival floats for racing cars!”

And the new Gen3 car satisfies hard-core racing enthusiasts and sustainability campaigners alike, with over 50% more power than the car it replaced, as well as sustainable tyres and a recycled carbon-fibre shell.

E-mobility: a legacy for Brazil
Although di Grassi’s flair for racing has been rewarded by his sport’s highest honours, his achievements off the track could cement his legacy. Like his idol and compatriot Ayrton Senna, di Grassi knows that motorsport can be harnessed as a force for good: “Senna helped me realise that racing can make a difference to people’s lives”, he says. “He inspired me and had a huge influence on Brazilian society.”

For di Grassi, Formula E will help nudge Brazil towards a more sustainable future by persuading drivers to switch to EVs. “Having an electric race in São Paulo will start to shift the mentality. In 20 – 30 years, we will look back and ask: ‘how did we ever allow combustion engines to pollute our cities and threaten the health of our children?” He goes on: “Air pollution kills 10 million people worldwide every year – that’s the equivalent of two Covid pandemics, and nobody talks about it.”

The challenge ahead
Di Grassi acknowledges that when it comes to technology, Brazil is still 5 – 10 years behind Europe and the US. EVs are a perfect example. While many Brazilians know of their benefits, they cost too much in a country where the average salary is $700 a month. But di Grassi has every reason to be optimistic:

  • Firstly, many Brazilians grow up talking about sustainability around the kitchen table: 80% of the country’s energy already comes from renewable sources, and the Amazon rainforest has been part of the political debate for generations. 
  • Secondly, Di Grassi believes Brazil’s developing economy will be a crucial driver of EV sales over the next ten years: “When people are lifted out of poverty, they consume more, and they become more aspirational. We have seen from the experience of other countries that when this happens, EV sales will take off.”

Fortunately, it is di Grassi’s background as a racing driver that gives him instant credibility with sceptics: “People think sustainability is about hugging trees, but it’s about using technology to build a better future”, he says. His refreshing approach always puts practical solutions ahead of politics. Consider his views on economic development and human progress: “Oil was one of the best things that happened to humankind,” he says. “It created global prosperity, employment and energy security on an unprecedented scale. But the simple truth is that what was acceptable in the past is no longer right.”

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