Da Costa to remain with DS Techeetah in 2022 FE season
Antonio Felix da Costa is set to remain with DS Techeetah in the 2022 Formula E season, despite the uncertainty that surrounded the team’s financial future throughout this year.
The 2019-20 champion had been speculatively linked to Mercedes in the event that reigning champion Nyck de Vries was signed by the Williams Formula 1 team for 2021, while a return to Andretti Autosport was also rumoured after the Techeetah race team’s owner SECA sought investment in the wake of the pandemic.
Autosport understands this led da Costa and team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne, whose contract with the squad expired at the end of last season, to endure protracted periods without pay.
Ahead of the London E-Prix in late July, the race crew were introduced to a Canadian who had tentatively put together a deal to buy and rebrand the Techeetah arm of the partnership with automotive manufacturer DS.
However, the takeover fell through to leave the future of the outfit and its drivers up in the air.
But the Portuguese has all but confirmed he had a deal in place for next season to remain with the team with which he won the 2019-20 drivers’ title.
Speaking to Autosport on the eve of the FIA World Endurance Championship decider in Bahrain, where he is fighting for the LMP2 title with the Jota outfit, he said: “I'm not announced yet at the team but I guess it's a really badly kept secret.
“Everything is going well.
“[I’m] looking forward to going back to the same organisation and same people for the third year. I've always said it’s one of the strongest teams in Formula E.
Antonio Felix Da Costa, DS Techeetah, DS E-Tense FE21, Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche, Porsche 99X Electric
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“[They have] many championships to their name, so very happy to be going back and all the preparations are going well.
“We will be in Valencia in a couple of weeks [pre-season testing], so I'm looking forward to that test.”
DS Techeetah finished third in the championship in the 2021 season, with da Costa only eighth in the drivers’ standings, two places ahead of two-time champion Vergne.
The 30-year-old expects Mercedes - and its customer squad Venturi - to remain the benchmark next season, with the homologation rules preventing teams from introducing major updates to their existing powertrains.
Da Costa continued: “I'm 100% sure Mercedes will be there again and with two teams or four cars all of them super good drivers, with [Lucas] di Grassi joining Venturi they will be a team to beat for sure.
“Venturi finished second in the [drivers’] championship so Edoardo Mortara is an amazing driver as well, and someone like Lucas will just make them stronger.
“Nissan as always, Jaguar have been super strong and even Envision has always been very strong. There will be at least 12 drivers who can do a great job.”
Related video
Envision Virgin reveals first two-seater electric formula car
FE shortens practice sessions, makes U-turn on tyre allocation
Ford: F1 return wasn’t possible without changes to engine rules
Ford would not have returned to Formula 1 without the major changes to the engine regulations for 2026, according to its motorsport boss.
Mercedes takes BoP hit after rapid Bathurst qualifying
Mercedes teams have been dealt a hefty Balance of Performance blow ahead of tomorrow's Bathurst 12 Hour following Maro Engel's lap record-breaking effort in the Top 10 Shootout.
Lapierre to skip 2023 WEC season as Alpine steps down to LMP2
Nicolas Lapierre is set to be absent from the World Endurance Championship grid for the first time since 2015 this year, following Alpine’s step down to LMP2.
Ford still not satisfied with Supercars Gen3 parity
Ford continues to harbour concerns over the parity between the Mustang and Camaro Gen3 Supercars following the latest round of prototype testing.
The key factors behind Porsche's strong start to Formula E's new era
A low-key Valencia test left some quarters of Porsche's Formula E squad worried, but a 100% winning start for the German manufacturer's powertrain in 2022-23 underlines its early race day advantage. Porsche's key figures explain the strong start in Gen3, and why the work is only just beginning
How Wehrlein's Diriyah double reveals Formula E's form book shake-up
After Porsche-powered drivers locked out the top two positions to open Formula E's new Gen3 era in Mexico, the order was reversed in Diriyah. Ex-Formula 1 driver Pascal Wehrlein's factory car headed Jake Dennis's customer Andretti machine in both races under the Riyadh lights in a display that leaves little doubt as to which package currently has the edge
The first impressions of Formula E's brave new era
OPINION: Formula E kicked off its Gen3 era at Mexico City with keen anticipation - and anxiety - surrounding its new, more powerful cars. Here's how the new machinery got on in its first race, and what could be open to improvement later down the line
How Dennis dominated Formula E's new generation opener
Formula E’s Gen3 era kicked off with more unpredictability as Andretti’s Jake Dennis recovered from poor pre-season testing to dominate in Mexico. Here's how it played out and what the opener hints at what is to come in the new generation of the electric series
Is this a Formula E 'nearly man's' best chance yet at title glory?
With braking issues scuppering his championship hopes at a crucial moment in the 2021-22 Formula E season, Mitch Evans is more determined than ever heading into this year. He explains how he plans to make it third time lucky after two title near-misses
Can McLaren make a success of its foray into Formula E?
McLaren kept a two-time title-winning Formula E team alive after purchasing the Mercedes entry. But with new drivers and a switch to customer status, can it continue to succeed in its new orange era?
10 things we learned from Valencia Formula E testing
The prologue to the 2022/2023 Formula E season has concluded as the series gets set for the new Gen3 era. After almost four days of testing in Valencia this week, Autosport takes a look at the 10 major talking points that will dominate the build-up to the new campaign getting underway in January.
How Jaguar got its teeth into Formula E's Gen3 development race
With Mercedes gone and DS moving teams, Jaguar has a big opportunity at the start of Formula E's Gen3 era. The technical challenges in understanding the new car have been vast, with senior figures James Barclay and Phil Charles outlining to Autosport the pitfalls along the way
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.