Formula E

Di Grassi joins Venturi for 2022 Formula E season

Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi has been unveiled as a Venturi Racing driver for the 2022 season alongside Edoardo Mortara, in his first move since Audi quit the championship.

Matt Kew

Edited: Sep 16, 2021, 9:40 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Lucas di Grassi, Venturi Racing

Di Grassi’s switch to the Mercedes powertrain customer squad leaves Berlin E-Prix race winner Norman Nato out of a drive after his rookie year.

However, it will ensure that 2016-17 title winner di Grassi will maintain his status as one of two drivers with an unbroken record of participation in FE since the series' inception, along with Jaguar's Sam Bird.

Di Grassi insisted he would stay in Formula E following the news of Audi's exit, but his chances of remaining on the grid took a blow when Abt’s plan to take over the manufacturer's entry was kiboshed after a commercial deal fell apart.

His representatives opened talks with several teams, including Andretti Autosport, before di Grassi entered the frame to replace under pressure Nato, as first reported by Motorsport.com last month.

Di Grassi said: “Anyone who knows me knows how competitive I am. Driving for a team that I know can fight at the front and really challenge for the championship is essential for me.

"[Venturi] performed very, very well last season [finishing seventh in the standings]. You can see that the team has progressed a lot in recent years. The momentum is really there, and they have shown clear improvements in every area.

“Edo had a fantastic season, really strong, he was fighting for the title until the very end and there were many times over the season that I was racing both Venturi cars and I could see how competitive they were.”

Although no details have been publicly disclosed about the length of di Grassi’s contract, it is likely to be only a one-year agreement initially.

Should Abt assemble an entry in time for the Gen3 era beginning in 2022-23, di Grassi would likely return.

Nato is yet to agree a deal to resume his previous role as Venturi’s reserve driver, but team principal Susie Wolff says she has given him permission to enter talks with other outfits.

His win at Tempelhof Airport came too late last season to save his seat as the double title-winning Mercedes customer powertrain made Venturi Racing an increasingly appealing prospect for drivers.

Wolff added: “Last season we demonstrated that we have a strong package. There were many highlights throughout the season starting with a podium and finishing with a win.

“Edo showcased to everyone what we have known all along - that he’s a world championship contender. [He and di Grassi] will push each other and drive us forward as a team.

“To have both cars scoring points in every race is essential for us for the teams’ championship and with our new driver line-up, there’s a lot to feel optimistic about.”

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Mahindra: Rowland's form against Buemi key to FE driver choice

Next article What could have been: Mahindra's search for a champion substitute

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Jorge Martin: “I don’t feel I will struggle anymore” in MotoGP title run-in

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Indonesian GP

41 min

Jorge Martin: “I don’t feel I will struggle anymore” in MotoGP title run-in

"Extremely difficult": Calendar clashes threaten Marco Wittmann's DTM future

DTM

DTM DTM 47 min

"Extremely difficult": Calendar clashes threaten Marco Wittmann's DTM future

Christian Horner's inside story of how Red Bull built its own F1 engine

Formula 1

Christian Horner's inside story of how Red Bull built its own F1 engine

Exclusive video: Christian Horner interview on his Red Bull exit, Mercedes rivalry and more

Formula 1

Exclusive video: Christian Horner interview on his Red Bull exit, Mercedes rivalry and more

Feature

Discover prime content

Why ‘Mr Formula E’ has called time on his racing career

Formula E

By James Newbold

Why ‘Mr Formula E’ has called time on his racing career

The team orders debacle that made for a controversial Formula E title decider

Formula E

London ePrix II

By Ed Hardy

The team orders debacle that made for a controversial Formula E title decider

The 'incredible stories' that could be told in Formula E's London title decider

Formula E

London ePrix I

By Ed Hardy

The 'incredible stories' that could be told in Formula E's London title decider

Cars, stars, and the shootout winners from the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed

General

By Maciej Hamera

Cars, stars, and the shootout winners from the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts