SEASON 6: ANTONIO FELIX DA COSTA DOMINATES IN 2019-2020
PHOTO: totallyev.net
F RMULA
The 2019/20 season was one of the most anticipated seasons in FE's short history, as German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Porsche joined the series to increase the field to 24 cars.
Jean-Éric Vergne would start the season as the reigning Champion, with his team DS Techeetah likewise starting the season as the Teams' Champions. Furthermore, a fourteen race calendar was organised ahead of the campaign, featuring races in Diriyah, Santiago, Mexico City, Marrakesh, Sanya, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Jakarta,
New York City and London.
The season opened with Vergne and new teammate António Félix da Costa failing to score in the opening race in Diriyah, as Sam Bird opened the season with victory. Alexander Sims then claimed victory in the second Diriyah Race, before his new teammate Maximilian Günther scored victory in Santiago.
Mitch Evans would then score a victory with a commanding run at the 2020 Mexico City E-Prix, before da Costa opened his account with victory at the 2020 Marrakesh E-Prix. However, that race would be run under a heavy cloud, with factors outside of the Series' control moving to curtail the season.
PHOTO: nussli.com
With the pandemic getting under control, Formula E organized a six race season finale in Berlin, using three different circuit configurations at the Tempelhof airport. The finale was scheduled for the 5 - 13 August 2020, with three pairs of races across nine days to complete the season, with start of the 2020/21 season pushed back to January 2021.
Arriving in Berlin there were six drivers within a maximum score at the top of the Championship, with da Costa leading the charge. However, two stunning victories for the Portuguese racer, combined with a fourth and a second in the second pair of races, ensured that da Costa claimed the title with two races to spare. Furthermore, a first victory of the campaign for Vergne in the 2020 Berlin E-Prix IV ensured that DS Techeetah secured the Teams' Championship with time in hand.
The final two races would hence be about the fight for second, with Stoffel Vandoorne ultimately taking the runner-up spot with a maiden victory for himself and Mercedes. Oliver Rowland would also pick up a maiden win in the 2020 Berlin E-Prix V, which helped to push Nissan e.Dams into second in the Teams' Championship, ahead of debuting manufacturer, Mercedes.