Despite dominating Formula E’s adventure in Paris and becoming the first driver in the short history of the sport to win back-to-back races, Lucas di Grassi is taking nothing for granted ahead of his team’s home race in Berlin this weekend. Usually coy about talking title hopes, the Brazilian is clear that he means business.

“Our goal is the championship,” he states in a release issued by the team this week. The piece points out that di Grassi has visited the podium six times in the seven races of this season, including three (permitted) wins. “After two consecutive victories in the USA and Paris, we are on a roll which we aim to continue in Berlin. We’re not going to waste time on making calculations, but in fact concentrate 100% on another error-free job. Our car is a winner, our team keeps cool and stays focused when the pressure is on – in this way we can win the home race.”

Di Grassi extended his lead over Renault e.dams’ Sebastien Buemi in the drivers’ championship to 11 points with a peerless display around the French streets in April, leading all but two laps en route to his third win of the season. The race-winning move came right at the start, on the run down to T1, where di Grassi managed to slip down the inside of pole-man Sam Bird and muscle into the lead ahead of the DS Virgin Racing driver despite the cold track conditions.

“It was the best start we’ve had so far,” di Grassi said after the race. “It was very cold. It makes a huge difference. It took a lot longer to spin the tyres and make them hot. I think I managed to have a very good start compared to Sam; he had a lot of wheelspin. I just managed to stay on the inside. Also JEV had a very good start. From then onwards, the gap was not increasing. I was pushing really, really hard but the gap was something around two seconds. It increased by the end of the first stint for the pit stop. I’m realising more now how important it is being the first ever race in the centre of Paris. The track was very difficult and conditions were difficult. I had to take risks at the start. Everything went well and I’m really happy to have won.”

Di Grassi beat Buemi to the chequered flag in all of the last three races (before being disqualified in Mexico after the race for a technical issue) but, with such a small gap between the two, he is refusing to relax. “After the gap that Renault showed to the rest of the teams at the beginning of the season, we were improving the car and have such a better car,” di Grassi said. “We are not making any mistakes, we are grabbing all the points that are available every race. I really thought the championship was definitely compromised in Mexico, but this 11 point lead means nothing. One bad weekend could make it worse. We have to keep working, keep going race by race, try to score as many as possible.”

The Berlin event last year was the scene of a dominant drive by di Grassi before a disqualification when stewards found his car had what appeared to be reinforced front wing parts. It was the tipping point which seems to doom the rest of his season.

This time around appears to be a very different story. Di Grassi arrives at the event in peerless form. He’s also done well on his off weekends with scintillating performances for Audi in the WEC series. With just three races to go (Berlin and the July double-header in London; the disappearance of Moscow improves his odds further), he’ll be the model of efficiency and focus this weekend. Will it be enough to make up for last year’s outing or will Buemi rediscover his magic? We’ll find out on Saturday.

Luke Smith