Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Antonio Felix da Costa

  • Da Costa joins Jaguar TCS Racing

    Jaguar TCS Racing have confirmed Antonio Felix da Costa will take up a race seat alongside Mitch Evans for the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    Da Costa – the 2019/20 Driver’ World Champion – joins Jaguar TCS Racing from Porsche. With 12 wins to his name, five of those in the GEN3 era of Formula E, the Portuguese has consistently shown his exceptional pace and race craft in the all-electric World Championship.

    A title contending driver in Formula E since its inception, da Costa is widely respected for his deep technical expertise and has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting and accomplished talents in electric motorsport.

    Together, da Costa and Evans boast 270 combined Formula E race starts, 26 race wins, 60 podiums and 18 poles – more joint race starts and wins than any other team pairing in Formula E history.

    Da Costa quickly rose through the ranks of junior single-seaters following a standout karting career. He impressed in the Formula 3 Euro Series, GP3 and Formula Renault 3.5, earning a coveted spot in the Red Bull Junior Team.

    By 2010, he made his Formula 1 test debut with Force India and, just two years later, became Red Bull Racing’s official test driver – cementing his reputation as a rising star.

    Joining Jaguar TCS Racing, a team with a rich legacy in motorsport, is an incredible honour. The team’s resilience and pursuit of performance and innovation is something I’ve always admired, and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the impressive Jaguar I-TYPE 7. Partnering with Mitch, one of the most experienced drivers in Formula E and a close friend, is a privilege. I’m excited for this next chapter – to learn, push boundaries, and play my part in driving the team forward for Season 12 and beyond.
    Da Costa on the news.

    We’re delighted to welcome da Costa to Jaguar TCS Racing. His performance over the last 11 years in this championship has been consistently impressive, and his approach to racing aligns perfectly with our values as a team. As we enter the final season of the GEN3 Evo era, we’re confident that we will see great results with António and Mitch, as they form arguably the most competitive and exciting driver pairing on the grid.
    Ian James, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

  • Da Costa part ways with Porsche

    Porsche have announced that Antonio Felix da Costa will leave the team ahead of Season 12.

    Da Costa is one of a handful of drivers to have competed in Formula E from the very first season back in 2014/15.
    The season 6 champion celebrated five race wins and helped the German manufacturer to the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship in Season 11.

    Highlights include his unforgettable move in Cape Town, 2023, which sealed his first win with Porsche.
    In 2024, he clinched Porsche’s first home victory at the Berlin E-Prix. That same season, after an early setback, the 34 year old impressively fought back and claimed four wins – more than any other driver on the grid.

    With these performances, da Costa played a significant role in all three titles won by the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.

    I’m happy that it happened instead of being sad that it ends. I raced for one of the most prestigious brands in the world – that’s an honour for me, and I’m proud that this will forever be a part of my career. I’ve been part of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team for its three most successful years, and I want to thank every single person that I got to work with during this time. This includes the management with Thomas and Florian, as well as the board. A special thank you goes out to my mechanics and my engineers, who accompanied me on this road. Obrigado!
    Da Costa on the news.

    After the title wins in London in July, Porsche has reached the pinnacle of electric motorsport – and that is very much thanks to António’s performances. He played a decisive role in enabling us to reach that achievement. Moments like his overtaking manoeuvre in Cape Town and our first home victory in Berlin will remain in our memories and are part of Porsche’s history in Formula E. We’re proud of all of this, and I’d like to thank him for it. I also greatly appreciated his consistently positive and relaxed manner. I hope to meet António again soon in paddocks around the world and wish him all the best for his future.
    Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.

    In three very intense years with us, António proved his class – with five victories in the Porsche 99X Electric. He impressed everyone in the team above all with his racecraft, how he could read the race and work his way forward. I thank António for his achievements, but also for his direct and transparent approach, as well as the appreciation he showed to every single person in the team. My thanks also go to his mechanics and engineers; they worked extremely hard to help him regain his qualifying strength. Only then were we able to become Teams’ and Manufacturers’ World Champions in July. We wish António all the best.
    Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E.

  • Porsche announces Season 11 drivers

    Porsche will again field our newest Champion Pascal Wehrlein alongside Season 6 title-winner Antonio Felix da Costa in Formula E Season 11.

    Season 10 was beyond memorable for the German giants, as Wehrlein steered the team to a maiden Formula E title in the London finale.
    Crowning a best season to date in electric motorsport’s top tier since the Stuggart marque joined the fold back in 2019/20.

    The team wound up second in the Teams’ running, just four points shy of winner Jaguar TCS Racing, and finished second to the Jaguar squad in the Manufacturers’ Trophy.

    Da Costa fought off mid-season speculation to tear to a storming run of four wins in five between Berlin and Portland to place him in title contention heading into London.

    The pair will get behind of Porsche’s take on the Gen3 Evo – the latest evolution of Formula E car set to hit the track in Season 11 with a maiden outing coming at the Valencia test in November.

  • RND 12 – Shanghai E-Prix

    FP3-

    Half a second split the top 17 runners as Nick Cassidy topped the times for Jaguar TCS Racing in Free Practice 3 ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix Round 12.

    A warm, steamy morning saw 27 degree air temperatures early on in Shanghai, and times matching free practice 2’s.

    Cassidy ran to a 1m13.500s late on and said he’d found something in himself to get there, while praising the team’s work over the weekend so far.

    Dan Ticktum, on home soil for ERT followed just 0.089s back with Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa rounding in third.

    Qualifying-

    NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes achieved his second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season around the Shanghai International Circuit.

    In a very intense qualifying battle, NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes managed to beat DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne by just 0.001s!

    The insane margin between the two in the final of the duels ties the record set by Lucas di Grassi in Berlin back in 2017.
    And it’s the second time we’ve seen a pole decided by such a small gap this season, with Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche putting it on pole by only 0.002s in Sao Paulo.

    Several of the big names were knocked out early on including reigning world champion, Jake Dennis who will start 16th. Yesterday’s pole sitter Jean-Eric Vergne couldn’t replicate his success a second consecutive day and will line up ninth.

    Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries managed his best qualifying performance of the year to start fourth after making his first Duels appearance of the year.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Hughes, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Da Costa, P4: De Vries, P5: Cassidy, P6: Evans, P7: Nato, P8: Rowland, P9: Vergne and P10: Guenther.

    Round 12-

    A good start from Vandoorne saw the DS driver beat Hughes to Turn 1 with da Costa in tow. The Portuguese driver took Hughes’ second spot at Turn 10 a lap later, aiming to drag himself up to leader Vandoorne in the slipstream on lap 2.

    Hughes, Nato, de Vries and Cassidy – third to seventh – all jumped for Attack Mode on lap 3, though could stick with the lead pair with the race pace as it was early on.

    The Jaguars running sixth and seventh, Evans from Cassidy once again looked to play the team game, though the latter exclaimed over team radio at his unhappiness at the change of tactics for round 12.

    Norman Nato led Vandoorne, da Costa, Hughes, de Vries, Cassidy, Evans, Guenther, Bird and Vergne – with da Costa a percent to the good on energy on those around him.
    Sure enough, the Portuguese’ progress started in earnest as he caught Vandoorne unawares with a dive around the outside into the final chicane complex to set about leader Nato.

    On lap 9, da Costa jumped to the front, beating Nato to Turn 1’s apex before ceding P1 again to take his first Attack mode boost – a contrasting strategy for the Porsche driver.

    Drama on lap 12, saw title contender Pascal Wehrlein forced into pitting to have his left-rear tyre replaced, punctured following contact with NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird.

    Da Costa looked to be the man to beat given the energy he had in-hand on the rest 0 some three percent of usable energy to the good on the leaders, enabling him to jump to the front again on lap 16 and looked to dictate.

    Hughes in third got the call to use more energy to move forward and set about Nato in second and da Costa in first on lap 18.
    A lap later, Cassidy tried to make a move on Hughes into Turn 1 and clipped his front wing in the process.
    Then at Turn 6, Hughes then it out around the outside of Nato to make it by the Frenchman for P2.

    The battling in-behind da Costa was playing into the Porsche driver’s hands, despite being the car punching through the air first.
    From lap 16 to the end, da Costa had the energy, pace and temperature margin to hold fast and dictate to the end, despite severe pressure from podium debutant Hughes.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Da Costa, P2: Hughes, P3: Nato, P4: Cassidy, P5: Evans, P6: Vandoorne, P7: Vergne, P8: Gunther, P9: Frijns and P10: Rowland.

  • RND 10 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP3-

    TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein was the fastest person on track in the third and final free practice for the 2024 Sun Minimeal Berlin E-Prix.

    Just behind Wehrlein was Round 9 winner, Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing. DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne finished in third.

    ABT’s Lucas di Grassi continued his quick pace that he showed topping the session early on.
    Ten minutes into the session, rookie Paul Aron was quickest.

    There was an unusual moment between Antonio Felix da Costa and Sergio Sette Camara during the third practice where the two drivers made minor contact.

    Drivers were pushing their cars to the limit in the final practice session of the weekend, with the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne experiencing some snaps of oversteer and understeer on one of his laps.

    Qualifying-

    Andretti’s Jake Dennis achieved his first Julius Baer Pole Position since Rome last season.
    It was a huge turnaround for Jake Dennis, as he managed to secure his first pole of the season having voiced his concerns over the Andretti’s qualifying pace.

    It was the first time that the Semi-Finals have been two pairs of teammates in the three years of the duels format – Jaguar versus Jaguar and Andretti versus Andretti.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Dennis, P2: Cassidy, P3: Nato, P4: Evans, P5: Guenther, P6: Wehrlein, P7: Mortara, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Vergne and P10: Da Costa.

    Round 10-

    Antonio Felix da Costa sealed the title of Berliner Meister with a record third win at Tempelhof to hand Porsche a first win on home soil in Formula E.

    Cassidy jumped Dennis into Turn 1 with Nato following, before Wehrlein was able to fire his Porsche into second come the end of lap 2.

    A tour later and Cassidy decided to take his first of two mandatory 50kW Attack Mode power boosts, dropping him to third and promoting Wehrlein to the lead before the rest of the lead pack made the jump.

    Da Costa made his first trip through the Attack Mode activation loop on lap 8, leaving Wehrlein to take the lead although again, only for a short spell as the Porsche team swapped their drivers around on track leaving da Costa to attack Cassidy.

    Another shunt for Maximilian Guenther left him pointless on home soil and the Safety Car on track while the pieces were picked up.
    On the restart lap 15, da Costa and Wehrlein led the pack away in the Porsche’s with Evans, Rowland, Cassidy, Dennis, Nato, Mortara, Vergne and Fenestraz the top 10.

    Lap 20 and the lead group were running millimetres apart in a constant battle with remaining energy levels looking even – it was anybody’s game at just over the half way stage.

    The safety car was required again as Nato and Fenestraz came to blows towards the back end of the points-paying positions. The Nissan was left in the wall requiring recovery, while Nato found himself shuffled well down the order.

    Evans gained track position on lap 31, moving by teammate Cassidy and then leader da Costa though the Kiwi was yet to take his final Attack Mode boost.
    Dennis and Wehrlein’s scrap continued at the hairpin – the Andretti driver nudging the Porsche, damaging his front wing in the process.

    Cassidy made his claim for third with a move up the inside of Evans at Turn 9 on lap 39, before setting about Rowland and leader da Costa.
    Into the hairpin, Cassidy made further progress, dispatching Rowland, but da Costa had more than a second in-hand out front.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Da Costa, P2: Cassidy, P3: Rowland, P4: Wehrlein, P5: Dennis, P6: Evans, P7: Daruvala, P8: Barnard, P9: Eriksson and P10: Vergne.

  • Porsche confirm driver line-up

    There’s no change at TAG Heuer Porsche for Season 10 as the factory team retains the race-winning services of both Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix da Costa in 2024, completing the grid for the historic tenth season of Formula E.

    Season 9 was TAG Heuer Porsche’s best season in Formula E to date as the legendary marque wrapped up four wins and a total of seven podiums, and the factory outfit will keep what’s working with the drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix da Costa continuing behind the wheel of the Porsche 99X Electric.

    Wehrlein also rounded out one of his best in Formula E last season, the German was atop of the standings for the first half of the season after a commanding double-header domination in Diriyah at the start of the year. Adding a further victory in Jakarta and then ended up fourth overall.

    Former champion Da Costa joined Porsche ahead of Season 9 and after a somewhat unassuming start with the German outfit, he scored a debut podium in Hyderabad and the followed that up with an absolute overtaking masterclass in Cape Town with a daring move in the dying moments to take his first victory.

    The Portuguese driver had a rollercoaster season, ending up ninth overall but is ready to get back to work in the Valencia pre-season test.

    The test in Valencia marks the start of the new season. We’ve been busy with preparations for weeks, and we’ve already done stints in the simulator. I’m certain we’ve made further progress. Last season we learned a lot, which we can build on now. For Valencia, it’s important to be well prepared to be able to roll out our test programme without any issues and gain further insights. There are some minor changes for the new season. Valencia will certainly help us to fully understand them. Then, we can get stuck in.

    Wehrlein on the news.

    I’m looking forward to Valencia. The test is always cool because all of the teams and drivers are there. This gives us a chance to show where we stand against the competition, to see where we’re already strong and where we might need to make some improvements. The preparation for Season 10 is going much better for me than last season’s preparation. I was new to the team last year and getting used to the car. This time everything is easier. I used the Formula E break to contest endurance races in the Porsche 963, spend time with my family and friends and prepare myself mentally and physically for the new season.

    Da Costa on the news.

  • Round 5 – Cape Town E-Prix

    Round 5 is here, and we are in Cape Town South Africa for a first time appearance, lets take a look at how the weekend went.

    FP1-

    Maserati’s MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara topped the timesheets with a time of 1m 09.700s.

    It’s the first time in Season 9 that one of the Maserati cars have topped a session, despite the team looking strong in pre-season testing. Mortara’s teammate, Maximilian Guenther finished the session in seventh.

    Fresh from a disappointing result last time out in Hyderabad, Jaguar’s Sam Bird was on a mission and finished the session in second, 0.158s off Mortara’s time. Sacha Fenestraz slotted into third on the timesheets to round out the top 3.

    But minutes into the start of the session, Sebastian Buemi brought out the red flags after a heavy impact with the walls of the rapid street circuit between Turn 9 and 10.

    FP2-

    The final session before qualifying ahead of the Cape Town E-Prix, Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy headed the pack with a 1m 08.118s.

    Cassidy was 0.307s ahead of Maserati MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara and some 1.6 seconds faster than the pace set in Free Practice 1’s session.

    Rounding out the top three was NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum with an impressive lap time. As well as the Jaguar cars looking rapid, Mitch Evans and Sam Bird were fourth and fifth.

    Qualifying-

    Nissan’s, Sacha Fenestraz sealed his first Julius Baer Pole Position for the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, as well as setting the fastest-ever lap in the process.

    Fenestraz managed to beat the Maserati of Maximilian Guenther by over four tenths of a second to set a stunning time of 1m 07.848s.

    Disappointment came for all four Mahindra-powered cars as the quartet were withdrawn due to rear suspension safety concern. As well as a big shunt fro Edoardo Mortara and Sam Bird which brought out the red flag at the end of Group B.

    Round 5-

    Antonio Felix da Costa drove a storming race from 11th on the grid to his first win for TAG Heuer Porsche, after producing a copy of one of the best moves you’ll ever see for the lead, on two seperate occasions.

    The season 6 champion returned to form last time out with third in Hyderabad but this was something else in a properly attritional race at another meg, all new track with only 13 drivers making it to the finish line.

    With the quartet out front nose to tail thanks to Guenther clipping a wall and pulling the car over into retirement, throwing that caution, Cassidy headed Fenestraz by less than half a second with da Costa and Vergne for company.

    On Lap 24, Da Costa produced an outrageous pass to steal the lead from Cassidy at the trickiest part of the track – the Turn 7,8 and 9 combo.

    The Porsche driver then pulled enough gap to take his second mandatory ATTACK MODE and retake the lead but he missed the activation loop.

    Meanwhile, Fenestraz had made it by Cassidy to take a potential podium but heartbreakingly, the Nissan driver hit the wall on the final lap.

    The full top 10 are: P1: da Costa, P2: Vergne, P3: Cassidy, P4: Rast, P5: Buemi, P6: Ticktum, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Nato, P9: Lotterer and P10: Hughes.

  • Da Costa joins Porsche

    Antonio Felix da Costa has joined the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team as their new driver joins Pascal Wehrlein for Season 9.

    Da Costa has competed in Formula E since the inaugural 2014/15 campiagn and strode to the Drivers’ title in Season 6, with the Portuguese driver dominating the unique six-race nine-day Berlin finale.

    The 30 year old has 96 race starts, with seven race wins, 16 podiums and eight Julius Baer Pole Positions to his name.

    Antonio, replaces Andre Lotterer at the German manufacturer. The multiple Le Mans winner and sportscar champion’s best finish was eight in Season 6 – his and Porsche’s first campaign in Formula E.

    It’s like a dream come true. I’m really looking forward to cracking on and winning races for this team. I’ve been beaten by a Porsche many times in my career, and not only in Formula E, so I know that Porsche does everything to win. It’s in the brand’s DNA. I share the same ambition and can hardly wait to bond with the team and work together to ensure a successful start to the Gen3 era.

    Antonio Felix Da Costa on his move.

    I’m delighted that António is coming on board. He has an incredible skill set as a racing driver and has demonstrated many times that he’s a winner, not only in Formula E. We hold him in high regard as a driver and on his own merits as a person. He’s a positive guy who is a great fit for us and the Porsche Motorsport family. I’m confident that we’ll fight for victories and titles together for years to come.

    Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.

    We’re very much looking forward to working with Antonio. I know him from various racing series and I have a lot of respect for him on a personal level. It’s incredible what he has already achieved in Formula E. We’ll do our utmost to give him a competitive Gen3 car so that he can fight for wins and titles. The team is very much looking forward to welcoming him.

    Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E.

  • Round 12- NYC E-Prix

    Free Practice 3-

    Red Hook had received more rain overnight after yesterday afternoon’s weather-hit Round 11. The Brooklyn Street Circuit was wet-dry for much of the session but was mainly clear of standing water, with only damp patches on the asphalt.

    Temperatures were cool but the track came to the drivers as they fired in their 250kW full power runs towards the end of the running, with Sam Bird firing in the quickest time of the session by some distance on a 1m 08.745s, until round 11 winner, Cassidy went within one tenth of a second after the team’s overnight rebuild job following the heavy shunt that occurred and ended Round 11 early.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Bird, P2: Cassidy, P3: Di Grassi, P4: Da Costa, P5: Dennis, P6: Evans, P7: Frijns, P8: Lotterer, P9: Rowland and P10: Wehrelin.

    Qualifying-

    Nick Cassidy sealed a second Julius Baer Pole Position, with the New Zealender set to start from the front row for Round 12.

    The last two polesitters squared off against each other and after the first corner alone Cassidy had almost fount two tenths of a second. As the pair wound their way around Red Hook’s docklands, da Costa did reel the Envision driver in. Cassidy was able to keep it neat and tidy through the final few turns though and da Costa found himself too much to do.

    A brake-by-wire issue took standings leader Edo MOrtara out of the Groups and see him marooned right at the back in 21st. Jean-Eric Vergne, couldn’t capitalise to the fullest, clipping the wall on the way to the 13th quickest time.

    But it wasn’t meant to be for Nick Cassidy as he was hit with a penalty, and stripped of his pole position for Round 12. The battery pack and the RESS radiator were changed following Round 11, and as it is the fifth RESS radiator used this year on Cassidy’s car, he has received a 30-place penalty.

    In addition as Cassidy can only take a 21 place drop, he has been awarded a drive through penalty for the nine untaken grid places. Antonio Felix da Costa now takes pole position.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Da Costa, P2: Sims, P3: Lotterer, P4: Sette Camara, P5: Vandoorne, P6: Evans, P7: De Vries, P8: Askew, P9: Dennis and P10: Frijns.

    Round 12-

    Antonio Felix da Costa led lights to flag in the New York City E-Prix Round 12 to bring home his and DS Techeetah’s maiden win of Season 8, with Stoffel Vandoorne following in second – eating away at Edo Mortara’s points advantage at the top of the driver standings.

    The Portuguese sprinted away from Julius Baer Pole Position and fended off the attentions of Sims early on before Vandoorne applied the pressure later on in the race. However, the Mercedes-EQ driver could not find any way through, with da Costa measuring things to the flag.

    Vandoorne’s 2nd place will likely be more than enough for one of Formula E’s most consistent scorers to leave the Big Apple- with a big smile on his face, especially with Drivers’ World Championship leader Mortara only managing a point and 10th spot.

    We are back in two weeks for the London E-Prix and it is another double header and on the 30th to 31st of July! Who will be victorious in London?