Di Grassi wins Shanghai E-Prix from 19th, Wehrlein leads title
Synopsis
Starting 19th and written off before the lights went out, Lucas di Grassi read a drying Shanghai track better than anyone, hoarded his Attack Mode boost for the final lap, and swept past Vergne to end a four-year Formula E drought. With Evans stranded in the garage by a spec inverter fault, Wehrlein now leads the title — and the Tokyo double-header could decide everything.
Key Takeaways
Lucas di Grassi won the 2025-26 Shanghai E-Prix Race 2 on 5 July , charging from 19th on the grid .
It is di Grassi's first Formula E win since London 2022 — a gap of four years — and the first ever for Lola Yamaha .
Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) leads the drivers' championship on 141 points after finishing fourth.
Mitch Evans failed to start due to a spec DC/DC inverter failure and sits nine points behind Wehrlein with three races left.
Rookie Joel Eriksson claimed the first podium of his Formula E career in third place.
Formula E heads to Tokyo for a double-header on 25-26 July .
Lucas di Grassi ended a four-year Formula E drought with a stunning victory in the second race of the 2025-26 Shanghai E-Prix double-header on Sunday, 5 July, charging from 19th on the grid to take the chequered flag. The win is also the first for Lola Yamaha since the manufacturer assumed the Abt Cupra team's licence in 2024. Meanwhile, Pascal Wehrlein moved into the Formula E championship lead after title rival Mitch Evans was unable to take the start due to a technical failure.
The Race-Winning Strategy
Rain fell throughout the day at the Shanghai International Circuit before easing just ahead of the formation lap. Di Grassi and eventual runner-up Jean-Eric Vergne gambled on dry setups while a large portion of the field opted for wet configurations — a call that initially looked suspect as both drivers struggled in the opening laps, conserving energy while running outside the points.
As the track surface dried, di Grassi began a relentless charge through the order, climbing to third place before a full-course yellow on lap 24 temporarily froze the field. When racing resumed a lap later, the Brazilian held a decisive tactical advantage: he was the only frontrunner with an unused Attack Mode boost. He deployed it at the first corner of the final lap to sweep past Vergne and seal the win.
Di Grassi's Historic Victory
The result extends di Grassi's own record as Formula E's oldest race winner. His previous victory came in London in 2022, making this a four-year wait between wins. The Lola Yamaha outfit had not finished higher than seventh in the current season before Sunday's result.
'We took the right risks today. In my position, where we were, we had to take those risks, and I'm so glad we managed to make it,' di Grassi said. He added: 'We've been working flat out. It's not always easy, but moments like this are why we do all of this.' Di Grassi is due to retire from Formula E at the end of the 2025-26 season, making the win a particularly poignant milestone.
Championship Implications
Wehrlein finished fourth after leading the early laps on a wet setup, fading as conditions shifted in favour of dry-tyre runners. Despite not winning, the Porsche driver now leads the drivers' championship with 141 points. Evans, who was sidelined by a fault with the spec DC/DC inverter, sits nine points adrift with three races remaining. Reigning champion Oliver Rowland, who crossed the line eighth, moves up to third on 114 points.
In the teams' standings, Jaguar retains the lead on 243 points despite scoring nothing on Sunday, but Porsche has closed to within six points of the British marque — setting up a tight constructors' battle heading into the final rounds.
Rest of the Podium
Vergne recovered from 18th on the grid to finish second, mirroring di Grassi's comeback in style if not in outcome. Rookie Joel Eriksson claimed the first podium of his Formula E career in third, having led the closing stages before being overhauled on the final lap — a bittersweet result that nonetheless marks a significant breakthrough for the young Swede.
What's Next
Formula E moves to Tokyo for a street-circuit double-header on 25-26 July, with the championship battle between Wehrlein and Evans set to intensify over the remaining three races.
Point of View
But the bigger story is structural: Mitch Evans losing a race before it even began to a spec component failure highlights a recurring tension in Formula E's single-supplier philosophy, where championship outcomes can hinge on hardware outside a team's control. Wehrlein now leads, but a nine-point margin with three races left is razor-thin — and Porsche's creeping challenge to Jaguar in the constructors' standings adds a second front to a title fight that is far from settled. Tokyo will be decisive.
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Lucas di Grassi win the Shanghai E-Prix from 19th on the grid?
Di Grassi gambled on a dry setup despite wet conditions at the start, conserved energy in the early laps while running outside the points, and climbed through the field as the track dried. He held back his Attack Mode boost until the final lap, deploying it at the first corner to pass Jean-Eric Vergne and take victory.
Why did Mitch Evans fail to start the Shanghai E-Prix Race 2?
Evans was unable to take the start due to a technical fault with the spec DC/DC inverter on his car. The retirement leaves him nine points behind Pascal Wehrlein in the championship with three races remaining.
Who leads the Formula E 2025-26 drivers' championship after Shanghai?
Pascal Wehrlein leads with 141 points after finishing fourth in Race 2. Mitch Evans is second on 132 points, and reigning champion Oliver Rowland is third on 114 points.
What is the significance of Lola Yamaha's victory in Shanghai?
The Shanghai win is the first Formula E victory for Lola Yamaha since the manufacturer took over the Abt Cupra team's licence in 2024. The team had not finished higher than seventh in the current 2025-26 season before this result.
When and where is the next Formula E race after Shanghai?
Formula E moves to Tokyo for a street-circuit double-header on 25 and 26 July 2025, with three races remaining in the season and the championship battle still very much open.
