Da Costa secures Indy test – and Portuguese FE race?
Antonio Felix da Costa’s air miles took a sizeable hit when the pandemic resulted in him visiting seven fewer countries than originally planned on his way to winning the 2019-20 Formula E title. But he’s been racking up the loyalty points again this month by flying between the US and his native Portugal.
His trip Stateside was for a seat-fit at Rahal Lanigan Letterman Racing, as da Costa has been called up by the team for his first Indycar test. He will drive one of the squad’s Hondapowered Dallaras – usually occupied by Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato – at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on 2 November.
“I have never hidden the fact that it’s a big dream of mine to come try out an Indycar,” said da Costa. “I am a big fan of how America, and Indycar in particular, goes about the sport and have been a huge fan for many years.”
Then came a flight back across the Atlantic so that da Costa could drive his championship-winning DS Techeetah. The E-tense FE20, which secured the team successive manufacturer crowns, was rolled out on da Costa’s home soil for a 12-mile tour of Lisbon.
His exhibition run came only a week prior to the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix, with the Algarve International Circuit set to host the nation’s first Formula 1 race since 1996. This further cements FE’S interest in staging a race in the nation off the back of da Costa’s success, with championship co-founder and chief officer Alberto Longo saying: “Portugal is a very exciting prospect for us and one we’re keen to explore, especially as I’m sure today has given Antonio a taste of what it could be like to drive in front of his home fans in the future.”
Last month, when awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit by Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for his sporting success, da Costa said of a home race: “I want to make this happen. Lisbon is being talked about around the world in motorsport, and to be able to race there would be incredible, especially now, when we are winning races and championships.”
Hoping to prevent da Costa from wrapping up consecutive FE crowns will be Jaguar’s new recruit Sam
Bird. The Briton, who has won in every season of the all-electric championship, had his first test aboard the team’s new camouflaged I-type 5 racer at Abingdon airfield this week.
Nissan e.dams, meanwhile, has confirmed that 2015-16 champion Sebastien Buemi and Berlin E-prix victor Oliver Rowland will be retained for a third straight season.
But Venturi Racing will go in to bat in 2021 with a new-look driver pairing, as World Endurance Championship LMP1 racer Norman Nato has been promoted from reserve to replace Felipe Massa alongside Edoardo Mortara at the Monegasque squad.