António Félix da Costa delivered a stunning performance at the Hankook Portland E-Prix, securing a double victory for TAG Heuer Porsche. This marks his third consecutive win, equaling his 2019 record for the longest win streak in Formula E history. The Portland crowd witnessed da Costa’s masterful race management, further solidifying his and TAG Heuer Porsche’s dominance.
Championship Drama Unfolds
Round 14 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brought high drama, particularly for current World Championship leader Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing. Cassidy failed to score points for the second consecutive race, allowing Mitch Evans and Pascal Wehrlein to tie for second place in the standings. This sets the stage for a thrilling showdown at the upcoming London finale.
Podium Celebrations
Joining da Costa on the podium was Robin Frijns of Envision Racing, who marked his 100th Formula E race with back-to-back podium finishes. Mitch Evans of Jaguar TCS Racing secured third place. Despite a dramatic loss of his front wing early in the race, Pascal Wehrlein finished fourth, keeping his championship hopes alive.
Tough Breaks and Notable Finishes
NEOM McLaren and Mahindra Racing faced challenges, with multiple retirements due to errors and collisions. Jean-Éric Vergne of DS PENSKE, starting from pole position, finished in fifth place. Nico Müller of ABT CUPRA impressed with a sixth-place finish, earning valuable points. Norman Nato, Maximilian Guenther, and Sébastien Buemi rounded out the top ten, with reigning World Champion Jake Dennis completing the list.
Upcoming London Finale
The Hankook London E-Prix double-header season finale, set for July 20-21, promises an intense battle for the championship title.
Quotes from the Podium
António Félix da Costa, No. 13, Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E:
“This is crazy. I’m happy, I’m emotional, I’m angry, I’m everything. I’m just glad that I’m getting to ride this wave right now – I know it doesn’t last forever. I’ve been on it before, I’ve been out of it before, so I’m just going to try and keep doing things right. I’m going to enjoy this moment. A lot of people in this world live by the motto of never giving up but I think we’re going to a completely new degree of that motto if I’m honest!”
Robin Frijns, No. 4, Envision Racing:
“Today was a good way to bounce back definitely. We had a tough one, and I have to say the team did a mega job. We prepared well for this race, and we delivered, so I’m really happy with P2. Unfortunately, we just missed out on the win – it was closer than yesterday, but having a double podium, I’ll take it. This season has been a struggle, I wanted to bounce back, I knew I could do it and I knew the team could do it, so here I am.”
Mitch Evans, No. 9, Jaguar TCS Racing:
“It’s nice after what happened yesterday, I’m finding it hard to get over it, I think it was still a ludicrous decision. It was hard to take so it’s nice to come back and get something today. We didn’t optimise qualifying on my side and the starting position wasn’t optimal for the second race, but it was a really hard-fought race. To get myself to the front I again had to do my attack quite late just because of the way the race was playing out, and I had to consume a lot of energy to make those overtakes with the high targets. I was a sitting duck at the end, but it gave me track position so good points. Obviously I would have loved to win, but after the Safety Car things really sped up, and third was the best we could do.
“Obviously it’s unfortunate what happened to Nick [Cassidy] but I came into this weekend just wanting to do my thing and see what happened. We’ll go into London close to Pascal [Wehrlein] and it’s going to be tight between us. António [Felix da Costa] must be close as well, he’s won every race – at least it feels like it – in the past half a season. It’s going to be a big fight between us and Porsche, for sure.”
Star-Studded Attendance
The Hankook Portland E-Prix was graced by several celebrities and sports figures. Sung Kang, actor and car enthusiast, returned to the Portland International Raceway, reuniting with driver Lucas Di Grassi at the ABT Garage. Kang also met with influencer Emilia Hartford, adding excitement to the event. Jamie Chadwick, a three-time W Series champion and Andretti Global INDY NXT driver, supported fellow Andretti drivers and served as a driver analyst. She impressed with her performance in the GEN3 Formula E car and took racing legend Michael Andretti on a hot lap in a Porsche Taycan.
Portland Thorns football players Morgan Weaver and Olivia Moultrie, as well as Portland Timbers football players James Pantemis and Evander da Silva Ferreira, enjoyed meet-and-greets with drivers and tours of the Andretti garage, further enriching the event’s atmosphere.
As the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship heads to London, the fight for the title is more intense than ever. Fans can look forward to a thrilling conclusion to the season.
For full Drivers’, Teams’, and Manufacturers’ standings, click here.
Source: Formula E
This Article use tools from Chatgpt
