For Formula E star Antonio Felix da Costa, racing is a love that began at an early age.
The 29-year-old Portuguese driver traces this love back to his first experience go-karting with his brother. This later blossomed into an insatiable passion for motorsports. Since then, he has climbed the ranks in various types of racing, from Karting to Formula Renault to Formula Three, and now with Formula E as well.
“I consider myself really lucky to have driven almost every racing car in the world in my career. I enjoy every day at work and for me I do it for the love of it more than anything,” said Antonio in a recent interview.
Becoming a champion
Although he has an extensive journey in racing, Antonio has particularly shined during his time with Formula E. But the road was not always so smooth for him:
“I had to sacrifice a lot in some areas to get to a position of being in a top team. Sometimes it was not easy to be fighting for the last positions of the grid but I knew that if I did a good job, my opportunity would come.”
For Antonio, that moment has arrived! In the most recent 2020 season, da Costa was crowned the Formula E World Champion, but his hunger to continue winning keeps him at the top of his sport.
When asked about his thoughts on the 2021 season, he remains humble yet eager for victory:
“I want to defend my title and fight for another one. I am sure it won’t be easy as the competition is always very strong but we will work hard to get it. To my fans I can promise full dedication and commitment to fight for the world title and I hope I can count with their constant support to fight for it.”
In the opening races of the 2021 Formula E season, Antonio has already reached the podium and finished with 15 points in a great showing.
What is Formula E?
Although Antonio may be a racing prodigy, the question remains: why did he choose Formula E in the end?
If you’re unfamiliar with Formula E, all Formula E cars are electric powered. How fast are Formula E cars? They often race at speeds over 200km/h (125 mph).
Beyond that, part of the vision for Formula E has been to bring electric mobility into the spotlight, and few drivers have helped to pioneer electric motorsports like da Costa.
Having been with Formula E since day one, he says there are a few points that set it apart:
“The fact that we are racing in the heart of the most iconic cities of the world is amazing. Also the fact that we race with 0 pollution is definitely something special; to know that we are part of this new era and we are generating a better world for the future generations.”
Another pivotal initiative with Formula E is their overall commitment to sustainability. In September 2020, the racing organization announced their commitment to net zero carbon for the sport.
From four wheels to two
Da Costa is not only passionate about electric mobility on four wheels, but recently showed his love for two wheel EVs by becoming an ambassador for NIU, a global urban mobility leader.
Antonio says he is excited about the partnership with NIU because they both “share exactly the same ideas and mentality”. As pioneers in the EV world, and champions of electric mobility, the pair seem like a perfect partnership:
“Being a NIU owner now and driving a smart electric scooter is the best way to kick off this 2021 year. I can now drive to the beach and around Cascais on my NIU scooter. The best of it is that I am doing something that I love in my city and at the same time doing my part to turn the world into a better place.”
It’s clear that Antonio lives to #MakeLifeElectric every day, just like other athletes that NIU has collaborated with.
Ready, set, relax
Although racing may be his life, it’s important for Antonio to take a break from time to time.
Despite being a Formula E champion, he remains very grounded in his personal life. Off the track, he cherishes time with family, friends, and leisure activities like surfing:
“Surfing in my home city of Cascais, Portugal, is very important for my emotional balance and to recharge energy for the races. Apart from this, I am just a normal guy that loves having some good fun with my friends and I really appreciate what life brings me.”
Although it may be very similar to his day job, da Costa has also enjoys offroad motorsports on occasion. When asked if he brings his racing zeal with him while driving in other situations, he said:
“When I first got my driving license, I was quite competitive on the road but I realized that’s not the way to go and after a few months. I am really just a normal driver on the road trying to respect people and always put safety as my number 1 rule.”
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Perhaps most importantly, through the rollercoaster of his career, he has always kept his head up and stayed positive. This has made him a role model and idol to fans around the world.
To learn more about Antonio, you can check out his current Formula E standings, or follow him on Instagram to get more insight about his life.
We wish Antonio all the best, and look forward to his continued success in racing!
