Formula E: Da Costa heads a Jaguar one-two in Madrid in one of the most spectacular Formula E races

Antonio Félix da Costa delivered a near‑faultless performance to win Formula E’s inaugural race at the Circuito de Madrid Jarama, heading teammate Mitch Evans in a controlled Jaguar TCS Racing one‑two. F1Technical’s senior writer Balazs Szabo delivers his race report.

The pair finished narrowly ahead of Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche after a race defined by PIT BOOST timing, energy management, and late‑race pressure from multiple manufacturers.

The event drew a capacity crowd, including King Felipe VI, and produced one of the most tightly‑contested finishes of the season, with the top four cars separated by less than one second at the flag.

Da Costa started third and was the first frontrunner to commit to his PIT BOOST stop on Lap 12. The early stop allowed him to undercut the leading group and control the race’s energy profile from the midpoint onward. He then aligned his ATTACK MODE activation with the surrounding frontrunners, ensuring no net track‑position loss as the field cycled through their mandatory boosts.

This sequence positioned the Jaguar driver for a late‑race sprint, with his mirrors filled by Dan Ticktum’s CUPRA KIRO entry. The British driver executed one of the standout overtakes of the race, passing Wehrlein around the outside on Lap 21 before Evans followed him through at the final chicane.

Jaguar’s race pace and Evans’ late challenge

Evans demonstrated strong late‑race efficiency, clearing Ticktum and closing rapidly on da Costa. The Kiwi attempted multiple approaches into the final sector, but da Costa placed his car precisely where required to defend track position. Despite a small twitch at the final corner, the Portuguese driver held on to secure back‑to‑back victories with Jaguar.

Wehrlein reclaimed third from Ticktum in the closing metres, limiting the damage in the championship fight. The CUPRA KIRO driver nonetheless delivered one of the team’s strongest performances to date, finishing fourth on home soil.

Midfield performance trends

Edoardo Mortara continued Mahindra’s upward trajectory with a solid P5, while teammate Nyck de Vries compromised his own race with contact on Lap 3 — a collision with Wehrlein that resulted in a five‑second penalty.

Sebastien Buemi executed a late‑race recovery to P6, while Jake Dennis and Nico Müller secured P7 and P8 respectively. Home favourite Pepe Martí briefly led during the ATTACK MODE cycles and ultimately finished ninth, scoring valuable points for the Spanish crowd. Joel Eriksson completed the top ten for Envision.

Championship implications

Wehrlein retains the lead in the Drivers’ standings, now 11 points clear of Mortara. Da Costa’s victory elevates him to fourth overall, strengthening Jaguar’s position in both the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ championships. Jaguar now sits just four points behind Porsche in the Teams’ classification and three points behind in the Manufacturers’ table.