How da Costa’s revival may force Porsche to heed a lesson from Jaguar

“If you lose that’s when you actually need to develop into one [in the team] and it reveals all people’s character. I believe all people is pushing laborious to assist me flip this round.”

Simply 10 months in the past, these very phrases from Antonio Felix da Costa started another article that was written under very different circumstances than these the Portuguese driver presently finds himself.

On the time, da Costa had failed to attain within the opening three races of the 2024 Formulation E season. He lacked not solely outcomes in contrast with team-mate and eventual champion Pascal Wehrlein – who had registered a win and two additional factors finishes – however extra worryingly outright tempo.

Porsche administration have been so involved that they organised a secret check for Abt driver Nico Muller, with a view to probably changing da Costa mid-season. Together with his seat and future Formulation E profession on the road, da Costa then discovered the shape with which he gained the 2019-20 title. His 4 wins from 5 races within the second half of the 12 months have been probably the most of any driver.

Regardless of not tasting victory to this point, he has continued final season’s kind into the 2024-25 marketing campaign, which might not have began extra in another way in contrast with almost a 12 months in the past. Da Costa completed runner-up within the Sao Paulo season-opener and repeated that feat in Mexico Metropolis final weekend.

It means the 33-year-old sits prime of the drivers’ standings for the primary time since his title-winning season and with Porsche having one of the best package deal on the grid, at the very least for the second, there’s each likelihood da Costa might add a second championship to his CV.

However to do this would imply besting Wehrlein in the identical automotive, one thing da Costa has did not do in his two earlier seasons at Porsche. Throughout that tenure, da Costa’s position, particularly final season, has more and more been to assist his youthful team-mate and at occasions in Mexico, it appeared like that dynamic was persevering with.

Da Costa diligently acted as a rear gunner within the early phases to chief Wehrlein after Porsche locked out the entrance row, its first in Formulation E. However when the German took his first Assault Mode, he rejoined alongside da Costa. The pair gingerly remained alongside one another by means of the lengthy proper of the Peraltada and within the course of, da Costa was shuffled down the order, not helped by working barely deep at Flip 1.

For a second it appeared like da Costa had squandered a podium, however he was in a position to recuperate by means of his personal Assault Mode activations and really headed Wehrlein into the ultimate section of the race. Whether or not the pair would have been allowed to freely battle for victory till the flag we’ll by no means know, as a perfectly timed safety car and stunning use of Attack Mode meant Nissan’s Oliver Rowland came through to snatch the win from the Porsche pairing.

An excellent greater query is whether or not Porsche decides to again certainly one of its drivers from an early stage or permit them to battle it out

After the race, da Costa revealed that the one radio communication previous to the security automotive had been about “simply maintaining a tally of the blokes who had Assault Mode left… we have been simply attempting to handle that and attempting to construct that hole”. Given the small hole da Costa pulled on Wehrlein within the closing laps, as they completed second and third respectively, it’s possible the order would have remained the identical even with out the security automotive (minus any group orders).

Da Costa is actually no stranger in going wheel-to-wheel along with his team-mate, having joined DS Techeetah in 2019 alongside reigning and double champion, Jean-Eric Vergne. Their relationship turned fractious at a number of factors on and off the monitor, maybe usurpingly given Vergne finally did not match the performances of his new team-mate as da Costa took the Frenchman’s crown.

Whereas the connection between Wehrlein and da Costa may be very completely different to the one talked about above, having already spent two seasons collectively, that dynamic might quickly change. In any case, neither have been within the title battle on the similar time.

An excellent greater query is whether or not Porsche decides to again certainly one of its drivers from an early stage or permit them to battle it out. It could possibly be argued that Wehrlein is one thing of a favorite baby given his German nationality, having taken Porsche’s first win in Formulation E at Mexico Metropolis in 2021, in addition to being the reigning champion.

Da Costa had appeared set to play wingman for Wehrlein within the early phases of Mexico’s E-Prix earlier than discovering his approach forward

Picture by: Andrew Ferraro

And though it’s now up to now, the truth that Porsche was actively seeking to exchange da Costa lower than a 12 months in the past throughout his barren spell is certain to depart a lingering query mark in any intra-team battle.

Porsche’s administration additionally solely wants to take a look at Jaguar final 12 months and the way by permitting its drivers Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy to take factors off one another the British marque squandered the drivers’ title, even when it did finally win the groups’ championship.

With Rowland proving to be one thing of a thorn within the facet of Porsche to this point this season, it may possibly ill-afford to drop any factors whereas it has one of the best package deal, particularly if a brand new replace from Jaguar post-Jeddah additionally proves efficient.

With 14 races to go there are nonetheless loads of twists and turns but to return within the Formulation E title race, however there’s no denying that an in-form da Costa is somebody who needs to be feared by the remainder of the grid. Given how he has bounced again from adversity time and time once more, there’s each likelihood a second title could possibly be his when the London season-finale takes place in July.

Will Porsche elect to throw its weight behind the present factors chief’s bid to assert a second title?

Picture by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Photos