After this weekend’s season‑ending London E‑Prix, the only two active Formula E veterans from the 2014 inaugural race will leave the championship, as Sebastien Buemi turns his focus to Toyota’s WEC program and Lucas Di Grassi announces his retirement from racing.
From Partnerships to First‑ever Victory
Renault’s early involvement as a technical partner in 2013 paved the way for the 2014 Beijing opening. While Roger‑marshalled‑feYoung 25‑year‑old Swiss, Sebastien Buemi, and Red Bull’s F1 reserve joined the e.dams squad, Di Grassi, the first development driver hired in 2012, had already committed to Formula E and raced for the Audi‑sponsored eponymous team in February 2014. Their synergy cultivated a Gen 1 duo that would dominate the first season.
During Beijing’s start, Du Grassi inherited the triumph after a dramatic incident with Nick Heidfeld, who suffered a suspension blow‑out following the collision; Buemi retired with gearbox trouble, making Di Grassi the very first Formula E champion.
Title Battles and Rivalry Surfaces (2015‑2017)
Buemi and Di Grassi entered the second season as joint title contenders. They amassed three victories each while maintaining a staggering record of 21 pole positions—17 of them by Buemi—and 78 podiums, including 28 race wins.
At the 2015 London finale, Piquet Jr narrowly defeated Buemi and Di Grassi, capitalising on a dominant pole lap yet losing a critical out‑lap to Buemi, who admitted that a single mistake cost him the championship. The following year saw the London E‑Prix in 2016 become the decisive clash: a rain‑affected first round had Di Grassi and Buemi qualify in the lower order, but Buemi arrested a one‑point lead by securing an improbable fastest lap after a first‑lap collision with Di Grassi. Despite a penalty and the race being steered by an unexpected accident, Buemi’s driver‑skill eclipsed Di Grassi’s, clinching the title.
The 2017 Montreal finale was a stark turn of events. Di Grassi seized the pole and lapped the field to victory while Buemi’s weekend faltered due to an underweight car after rushed repairs, costing him 22 points and a chance at the championship. Di Grassi celebrated his maiden title, underscoring the intensity of their rivalry.
Third‑edition Turmoil and Gen 2 Evolution
With the 2017‑18 season’s opening in Hong Kong, Di Grassi and Buemi struggled, Dorilov recovering from technical faults and missing rivals. Di Grassi’s perseverance paid off as he finished the season with seven consecutive top‑two results, yet still finished runner‑up to Vergne, who collected four wins and the championship. Buemi’s day of triumph remained elusive, though he collected three poles and four podiums.
Moving into the Gen 2 era, Buemi stayed competitive as “Renault e.dams” transitioned to Nissan. He captured a win in the 2019 New York E‑Prix but thereafter began missing top‑three finishes across 31 races. Meanwhile, Di Grassi’s presence at Audi Sport Abt outwardly impressed with four wins and steady points totals, but a move to Venturi in 2021‑22 saw diminished results. Later, Mahindra/Abt Cupra’s step into the Gen 3 regime produced a single podium for Di Grassi amongst 58 races and placed him 17th in the standings despite a recent victory in Shanghai—marking a final, if bittersweet, apex to his career.
Buemi’s Late‑Season Resurgence
In 2025’s Monaco E‑Prix, Buemi ended a six‑year winless spell by claiming victory, highlighting that even after a stagnant four seasons with Envision Racing, a driver of his calibre could still seize the moment. The scratchy run, though, fell short of the consistency required to climb the points pile in the high‑level Gen 3 battles.
Reflecting on a Half‑Century of Gen 1 Momentum
Neither driver managed to replicate the dominance of the Gen 1 years once new manufacturers and powertrains converged. Their combined achievements—a total of 28 victories, 21 pole positions, and 78 podiums—remain an exemplar of early Formula E excellence. As the championship evolves, the departure of Buemi and Di Grassi signals the end of that foundational era, leaving new talent to script the next chapters in electric racing history.
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