A Stunning Win for Da Costa in the Formula E Race in South Africa

António Félix da Costa won the inaugural ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in Cape Town, claiming his first victory for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, courtesy of a daring overtaking maneuver that he accomplished not once, but twice, to grab the lead.

The champion returned to form in the previous race in Hyderabad, finishing third. Da Costa's devastating drive delivered a well-deserved victory. Starting 11th, the Porsche driver pushed his way through the top ten and into the top three by Lap 20. The leading four were separated by only 1.5 seconds as a Full Course Yellow compressed the field on Lap 21. Through the first set of ATTACK MODE activations, Envision Racing's Nick Cassidy had outperformed Sacha Fenestraz and Maximilian Günther (Maserati MSG Racing), going longer before selecting for his initial 50kW increase and slipping into the lead.

Da Costa's transition to P1 was one of the most exciting moves in motorsport history. On Lap 24, he made an incredible pass to seize the lead from Cassidy at the most difficult area of the track - a difficult Turn 7, 8, and 9 combinations that had seen three accidents earlier in the weekend - the Season 6 champion raced around the outside of Turn 7. 

The Portuguese gained enough ground to enter his second required ATTACK MODE and recover the lead. Still, he missed the activation loop, surrendering the lead to Hyderabad winner Jean-Eric Vergne (above, left) a lap later. At this time, the Frenchman had never won consecutive races.

The former colleagues then fought to the finish line, with Vergne having won only one of his 11 races by more than two seconds and fresh off a classic defensive drive to victory in Hyderabad. 

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