Antonio Felix da Costa completes exciting DS TECHEETAH driver line-up

Reigning ABB FIA Formula E championship winning team DS TECHEETAH has announced that Antonio Felix da Costa will partner champion driver Jean-Eric Vergne for the 2019/20 season.

The news follows on from the recent announcement that Andre Lotterer would be leaving to join the new TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, da Costa widely tipped as his replacement following on from his departure from BMW i Andretti Motorsport after three seasons.

We're incredibly excited to welcome @afelixdacosta to the @DSTECHEETAH family. He will be racing as number 13 in the DS E-TENSE FE20 Keene for the 2019/20 @FIAFormulaE Season. 🐆⚡️ pic.twitter.com/AziVCCoBop

— DS TECHEETAH (@DSTECHEETAH) September 17, 2019

“Getting the opportunity to join a double championship-winning team in such a highly competitive motorsport category like Formula E is very rare,” said da Costa.

“It was a very hard decision to leave my current position but it’s an opportunity I just couldn’t say no to and I’m very excited to join Jean-Eric and everyone at DS TECHEETAH.”

Having da Costa at the team means that DS TECHEETAH have another strong driver pairing of proven race winners, the Portuguese having backed up victory in the 2018/19 season opener in Saudi Arabia with three more podium finishes en route to sixth in the standings.

“I’d like to extend a very warm welcome to Antonio,” said champion Vergne. “We’ve been friends for a long time, and we’ve been part of the same motorsport programme in the past so it’s great to be able to work together again. He will be a great addition to the team.”

Echoing the views of Vergne, team boss Mark Preston is confident that da Costa will help DS TECHEETAH secure more success on the track in the most competitive field to date.

“It’s fantastic to have Antonio with the team,” said Preston. “He’s a good friend to all of us and we’re all looking forward to welcoming him and to see him in the gold and black DS TECHEETAH colours,” added Preston.

“He will be a great, and fast, addition to the team and we’re all very excited to see what Jean-Eric and Antonio will deliver on track this coming year.”