Da Costa Wins in Portland and Moves Closer to Formula E Title

Antonio Félix da Costa, Porsche driver, achieved his second win of the weekend at the Portland International Raceway. This victory allows him to significantly approach the Formula E title, reducing the gap in the championship.

Da Costa took the lead on lap 21 after a brief safety car intervention due to debris on the track. He maintained control of the race for the remaining six laps, efficiently managing his energy.

On Saturday, Da Costa benefited from a five-second penalty to Mitch Evans, who had won on the track. However, on Sunday there was no doubt about his victory, despite late pressure from Robin Frijns. Evans completed the podium and moved closer to his Jaguar teammate Nick Cassidy, who did not score points on Sunday after a collision forced him to pit for a new front wing.

Pascal Wehrlein, another title contender, finished fourth without his front wing after contact with Edoardo Mortara. This incident caused the wing to get lodged under Wehrlein's car before flying into Sam Bird's path, who had to take to the grass to avoid it. Despite this, Wehrlein continued and secured valuable points in his title hunt.

Cassidy also suffered a major setback after being involved in a collision on lap 13 with Jake Dennis and Caio Collet, causing damage to their front wings. Later, Da Costa also made contact with Mortara on lap 15, causing damage to his front wing and puncturing Mortara's Mahindra's left-rear tire, sending him off the track. This incident was investigated, but no further action was taken.

The race was interrupted by a safety car on lap 18 due to debris on the track. This allowed drivers like Cassidy and Dennis to regroup. When the race resumed, Frijns led followed by Da Costa, Wehrlein, and Jean-Eric Vergne. Evans, who still had one attack mode left, fell to seventh place when activating it but quickly regained positions.

Evans passed Wehrlein to take third on lap 23 and then overtook Frijns a lap later with the help of his extra power boost. However, he could not catch Da Costa in the remaining laps, and Frijns reclaimed second place on the penultimate lap, securing back-to-back podiums in the United States. Cassidy, although having more energy available, could not take advantage of it due to the increased pace of the race after the safety car, finishing in 13th place and without points in the Portland double-header.

Da Costa's victory in Portland puts him in a strong position to compete for the Formula E title. With only two races remaining in the season, the competition is tighter than ever, and the upcoming events in London will be crucial in determining the champion.