The once promising partnership between Porsche and Antonio Felix da Costa is going through a tough time. Da Costa, who has been struggling this season, admitted to being in a difficult moment and unable to explain his poor performance. Meanwhile, his teammate Pascal Wehrlein has been successful, leading the championship after five races. Da Costa’s struggles are reminiscent of Jean Alesi in Formula E – a talented driver with a passionate personality. Despite his past successes, Da Costa is facing difficulties at the moment.
After a disappointing start to the season, Da Costa took advantage of the seven-week break to regroup and came back with stronger performances in São Paulo and Tokyo. However, he missed out on a podium finish in Tokyo due to a defensive move by Oliver Rowland. Porsche stated they are working closely with Da Costa to improve his qualifying performance, but there were rumors of tension between the driver and the team. It was revealed that another driver had tested for Porsche during the season, which is unprecedented in Formula E. The situation left Da Costa questioning his place within the team.
Da Costa’s qualifying performances last season were not up to par, and he struggled to keep up with his teammate Wehrlein’s results. Porsche decided to exclude Da Costa from any WEC program, which was a blow to the driver who had been a constant presence in the series. There were also rumors that Da Costa was having trouble adapting to the Hankook tires, an issue he had faced in his previous experience in the DTM. However, this theory may be too simplistic to explain his current difficulties.
Da Costa joined Porsche later than his teammate Wehrlein, missing crucial testing time with the Gen3 car. Battery issues also hampered his preparation for the season. Although Da Costa has had some success, including a win in Cape Town, he has been inconsistent. Formula E drivers rely heavily on their teams to provide a competitive car, and any deficiencies can affect their performance. It is clear that Da Costa needs a team that can address the issues holding him back.
It seems that Da Costa’s time with Porsche is coming to an end. The collaboration between the driver and the team has been strained, and Da Costa does not seem to be enjoying his time in Formula E. Sometimes relationships in motorsport just don’t work out, and it seems to be the case with Da Costa and Porsche. It remains to be seen where Da Costa will race next, but he is highly respected in both Formula E and WEC and is likely to receive offers from several teams. What he needs now is the support and attention from his team to regain his confidence and perform at his best.
