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SportsFormula E Tokyo: Felix da Costa's win hopes dashed after collision with Wehrlein
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Portuguese driver António Félix da Costa (Jaguar) was eliminated from contention for victory in the 14th round of the Formula E World Championship in Tokyo after a collision with German driver Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche). Starting from third, da Costa finished ninth, scoring only two points. He expressed frustration, stating he had managed energy perfectly and was 90% certain of a win. The incident was triggered by a confusing strategy from his Jaguar teammate Mitch Evans during the mandatory pit stop window, which allowed Wehrlein to get alongside and make contact. Wehrlein retired from the race, while Evans regained the championship lead with 144 points. Da Costa remains fifth with 113 points. The second race of the Japanese weekend takes place on Sunday.
Source report
António Félix da Costa (Jaguar) was eliminated from contention for victory in the 14th round of the Formula E World Championship in Tokyo on Saturday, following a collision with German driver Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche).
The Portuguese driver finished in ninth place after starting from third, scoring just two points. He crossed the line 7.765 seconds behind race winner Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro) of Britain, who beat compatriot Jake Dennis (Andretti) by 0.380 seconds and New Zealander Nick Cassidy (Citroën) by 0.617 seconds, finishing second and third respectively.
Driver's Reaction
"I don't even know where to start. We were running the perfect race today, incredible energy management, with over 2% [more energy] than the cars around us. With my experience, seeing these numbers, it was 90% a win, definitely a podium," said Félix da Costa in post-race comments.
Pit Stop Confusion
Félix da Costa explained that complications arose when the mandatory pit stop window opened, as he struggled to understand the strategy of his Jaguar teammate, Mitch Evans.
"As soon as the pit stop window opened, Mitch decided to do something very strange, opening a huge gap to the leader. That opened opportunities for other cars to get side by side with us, at a very slow speed," he said.
Collision with Wehrlein
The Portuguese driver was then involved in an incident with Wehrlein, his former Porsche teammate with whom he has had similar clashes in the past.
"Everyone started braking, and from the moment Wehrlein's Porsche got alongside me, he hit me and put me out of the race. It feels like a soap opera, like a movie script. Anyway, it's bad, it is what it is," lamented Félix da Costa.
Championship Implications
The incident had significant consequences for the title fight. Wehrlein retired from the race, while Evans regained the championship lead with 144 points, three ahead of the German.
For Félix da Costa, the outcome was particularly frustrating given the opportunity to gain ground in the standings.
"Today could have been the turning point of the championship, with other important cars not scoring points, and unfortunately we ended up also scoring just two points," he said.
Félix da Costa currently sits fifth in the championship with 113 points.
Upcoming Race
The second race of the Japanese weekend takes place on Sunday, corresponding to round 15 of the 17-round season, again on the Tokyo street circuit.
- Qualifying: 15:40 local time (07:40 Lisbon)
- Race: 20:05 local time (12:05 Lisbon)
Source
RecordNeutral / independent
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Félix da Costa's Victory Hopes Dashed in Tokyo Formula E Race After Collision with Wehrlein