Lucas di Grassi
A cerebral Brazilian driver who pivoted from Formula One also-ran to a foundational champion of the all-electric Formula E series.
Born 1984 (age 42)·Brazilian racing driver·Birthday: August 11·Millennials
Biography
Lucas di Grassi represents the modern, versatile racing professional. His path through the traditional single-seater ladder was solid, culminating in a single, unremarkable season in Formula One with the struggling Virgin Racing team in 2010. Rather than fading away, di Grassi found his true calling at the dawn of a new motorsport era. He became a cornerstone of the Formula E championship from its very first race in 2014, driving for Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler. Combining technical feedback with relentless racecraft, he secured the series title in the 2016-17 season. Beyond the cockpit, he evolved into a sharp analyst and a vocal advocate for electric mobility, his career a testament to adapting skill to a changing technological landscape.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Lucas was born in 1984, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lucas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1984
#1 Movie
Beverly Hills Cop
Best Picture
Amadeus
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Lucas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1984Born
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1989Started school
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1997Became a teenager
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Could drive
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2002Could vote
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Turned 21
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2014Turned 30
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 40
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 42 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2016–17 Formula E Drivers' Championship, securing the title in the final race of the season.
- Finished as runner-up in the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship for the LMP1 class with Audi.
- Took victory in the inaugural Formula E race in Beijing in September 2014.
- Served as a test and reserve driver for the Renault and Virgin Formula One teams before his race seat.
Did You Know?
He holds a degree in Business Administration from the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in São Paulo.
Di Grassi is a co-founder of Roborace, a competition for autonomous, driverless electric cars.
He once drove a Formula E car up the 1.8 km hill at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed.
“Formula E is not the future, it is the present. The technology is here.”
