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

“While you lose that’s when you actually need to change into one [in the team] and it reveals everyone’s character. I feel everyone is pushing exhausting 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 System 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 had been so involved that they organised a secret check for Abt driver Nico Muller, with a view to doubtlessly changing da Costa mid-season. Along with his seat and future System E profession on the road, da Costa then discovered the shape with which he received the 2019-20 title. His 4 wins from 5 races within the second half of the yr had been essentially the most of any driver.

Regardless of not tasting victory thus far, he has continued final season’s kind into the 2024-25 marketing campaign, which may not have began extra otherwise in contrast with almost a yr 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 the perfect bundle on the grid, no less than for the second, there’s each likelihood da Costa may add a second championship to his CV.

However to try this would imply besting Wehrlein in the identical automobile, one thing da Costa has didn’t 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 seemed 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 System E. However when the German took his first Assault Mode, he rejoined alongside da Costa. The pair gingerly remained alongside one another by the lengthy proper of the Peraltada and within the course of, da Costa was shuffled down the order, not helped by operating barely deep at Flip 1.

For a second it seemed like da Costa had squandered a podium, however he was in a position to recuperate by his personal Assault Mode activations and truly 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 larger query is whether or not Porsche decides to again certainly one of its drivers from an early stage or enable them to combat it out

After the race, da Costa revealed that the one radio communication previous to the protection automobile had been about “simply maintaining a tally of the blokes who had Assault Mode left… we had been simply making an attempt to handle that and making an attempt 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 doubtless the order would have remained the identical even with out the protection automobile (minus any workforce orders).

Da Costa is definitely 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 grew to become fractious at a number of factors on and off the observe, maybe usurpingly given Vergne finally didn’t 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 may quickly change. In spite of everything, neither have been within the title combat on the similar time.

An excellent larger query is whether or not Porsche decides to again certainly one of its drivers from an early stage or enable them to combat it out. It may very well be argued that Wehrlein is one thing of a favorite baby given his German nationality, having taken Porsche’s first win in System 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 manner forward

Picture by: Andrew Ferraro

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

Porsche’s administration additionally solely wants to take a look at Jaguar final yr 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 thus far this season, it could ill-afford to drop any factors whereas it has the perfect bundle, 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 System 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 may very well 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