The Portuguese driver claimed his first Formula E win in more than a year through the all-electric championship’s inaugural race on the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
Forward of the occasion, da Costa’s place throughout the Porsche crew was thrown into doubt as studies circulated that Abt’s Nico Muller had examined the crew’s Gen3 machine with a view to racing for the German producer subsequent yr.
Whereas Muller declined to touch upon the rumours when requested by Autosport forward of the occasion, stress has been rising on da Costa after a poor begin to the season.
The 2019-20 Method E champion failed to attain factors within the opening three rounds in 2024, earlier than taking sixth in Sao Paulo and fourth in Tokyo forward of the double-header in Misano.
“There are lots of people on this crew which might be with me they usually helped me get to this place and switch it round,” mentioned da Costa after his first Method E win since Cape City final yr.
“I feel the final three weekends we’ve been constructing good momentum.
“To be trustworthy I’m not likely stunned. I knew we may make this occur, but it surely’s exhausting to maintain a smile in your face once you’re making an attempt to persuade everybody that is potential.
“It got here on the proper time.”
Oliver Rowland, Nissan Method E Staff, Nissan e-4ORCE 04, Antonio Felix da Costa, Porsche, Porsche 99X Electrical Gen3, Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Da Costa took victory having hit the entrance of the sphere three laps from the top with a cross on new championship chief Oliver Rowland.
The 28-lap race proved to be chaotic as drivers tried to save lots of power within the slipstream, with a number of place adjustments occurring virtually each lap which meant staying out of hassle was a precedence till the closing phases.
“That was precisely what we anticipated to be trustworthy, you possibly can solely foresee a lot,” added da Costa.
“Each nook, each lap, each straight it’s a must to be utterly on full alert to try to react to what the opposite 21 guys determined to do.
“Consciousness might be the important thing phrase of the day, holding entrance wings on the automotive and on the identical time being environment friendly.
“It went good for us at the moment, very simply can go fallacious however I’m happy with how we approached it.
“I used to be freestyling on the market. There have been laps the place they didn’t actually go to plan, however I assume it was the identical for everybody.”