Di Grassi disqualified from Formula E’s London E-Prix, Audi fined

Di Grassi controversially took the lead of the second London E-Prix when he went into the pit lane under the second Safety Car period. 

Due to the cars going so slowly behind the Safety Car, di Grassi was able to make a fake pit stop and rejoin in the lead of the race ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne.

The Brazilian held onto the lead until the end of the race, taking the chequered flag.

The stewards handed him a drive-through penalty but was given a black flag on the final lap after he didn’t serve it.

The timing screens demoted him to eighth, suggesting that his drive-through was converted into a 20-second penalty.

He has now been disqualified completely, while Audi must pay a suspended €50,000 fine - only €5,000 needs to be paid immediately - for failing to inform its driver of the penalty.

Di Grassi took to Twitter after the race to explain the situation: “Everything we did today was clearly permitted by the rules of the championship. We only could do it if the safety car was in a lower speed than the pit-lane speed limit, otherwise I would lose positions.

“It was a bold, risky move but I’m fully behind my team when the decision was taken. The penalty was correct applied because the vehicle (the wheels did reach zero) didn’t go to full 0 km/h AFTER the data was analyzed in detail, as it was so close. I was only informed of the penalty after the checkered flag, via radio.”