Lucas di Grassi reveals key question surrounding possible Formula E retirement

Lucas di Grassi has revealed that he is "in peace" should he decide to retire from Formula E this season — a decision that hinges on where he feels he is most "valuable" going forward.

It has been another difficult season so far for di Grassi, with Lola's package still requiring the perfect qualifying lap to get near the duel positions.

Progress has been made by the squad, but with its hardware homologated, it remains rooted to the back — at least until Gen4.

Di Grassi, who has entered every Formula E race, has been involved in the development of Lola's Gen4 package for next season, with the Brazilian having driven the car.

Despite this, he is currently unsure whether he will continue in Formula E next season, when Gen4 is introduced competitively, with retirement remaining an option.

However, for the 41-year-old, the decision ultimately depends on whether he feels he is better suited to a different role. Should he believe he is most valuable as a driver, di Grassi will race next season. 

Asked if he wants to be on the grid next season, di Grassi told RacingNews365: "That's a good question. Right now, I have to drive as if I'm going to be driving forever, right? I have to commit myself fully, so I'll decide later on whether I continue or not.

"But in a nutshell, at this point in my career, I need to understand where I'm more valuable. Am I more valuable driving the car? Am I more valuable doing something else for the championship or for the team?

"If not next year, then in a few years, I want to take the step towards that. So for me, I need to understand the opportunities where I think I can add more value and then make the decision. So it's not 100% clear that I'll be on the grid next season.

"But at the moment, with the development of Gen4 and Gen3, I have to try to push as much as I can, because I still need to deliver results for the team."

Retirement from motorsport, not just Formula E

For di Grassi, who became Formula E champion in 2017 at the end of Season 3, stopping racing in Formula E would mean retiring from motorsport altogether.

The Lola driver has competed in every major championship and has no interest in returning to GT racing or stepping down to another category. As far as driving is concerned, it is Formula E or nothing.

Should he decide to retire, it is a choice di Grassi can accept, as he still has ambitions in motorsport — particularly within Formula E.

"When I won the title in Season 3, I thought about retiring and stopping, and I said, 'Look, let me do one more season,' and then one more season, and one more season," added di Grassi. "So I've had a good run. So far, I've had 20 years in top-level motorsport — LMP1, Formula 1, Formula 2, and 12 years in Formula E.

"Let's put it this way: I'm at peace with myself if I decide to stop driving and do something else. But again, if I stop in Formula E, most likely I'll stop in motorsport altogether. I wouldn't want to drive in GTs or take a step back to compete in other series. That's number one.

"And number two, I think I could add a lot of value in other areas — like the car I designed, running a team, or helping the championship develop Gen5. Like I've said many times, I want Gen5 to be faster than F1, so how do we do that in a cost-efficient way?

"So I see a lot of different opportunities for myself in the future. And the earlier I start doing this, the longer my scope will be. So again, if I see that there's not a big opportunity for me as a driver, I have no problem retiring and then focusing on the next step.

"I think that would be a wiser use of my time than trying to stick around driving just for the sake of it."