Reigning ABB FIA Formula E Champion Antonio Felix da Costa, his winning DS E-Tense FE20 and DS Techeetah joined forces to celebrate Formula E success with a roadshow in Lisbon.
At the celebration participated also partners Efacec and Total.
With the Portuguese champion at the wheel, the full electric single-seater DS E-Tense FE20 went on a tour of the main streets of Lisbon.
A real celebration of Antonio and the team’s victories with a Portuguese flavour, the event also highlighted DS’ strong commitment to the most sustainable form of motorsport in the world: the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, in which DS Techeetah secured both titles in two consecutive seasons.
Techeetah now holds the record for most consecutive titles, two Teams’ Championships and three Drivers’ Championships, as well as a number of other records.
Techeetah is the first/only team:
- To have two champions
- To win both championships twice
- To win both championships back to back
- To win Drivers’ and Teams’ championships before the last race (Round 9 of 11).
- With most wins in a row in one season
- To have two 1-2 finishes
- To have five poles in a row (Marrakesh + four rounds in Berlin)
- To get the most points in five consecutive races in a single season
- With the most front-row lock ups (Santiago S4, Berlin S6)
- To lead with the largest point difference to 2nd in the standings with 77 points
- First team to score 48pts in a single race
Antonio Felix Da Costa set several records this season, with three consecutive pole positions and three consecutive victories in a single season, as well as setting two speed records in Marrakesh for his fastest lap in both qualifying and in the race. He is the first driver to win the Formula E Championship with two races remaining and with the largest lead to his nearest competitor with 71 points. He is also the only driver to have won a race for three different Formula E Teams.
Antonio Felix Da Costa, ABB FIA Formula E Champion and DS Techeetah Driver said:
It’s taken some time for this season to land but now that it has, I feel nothing but pride for our achievement. And I say ours, because even though drivers are the ones in the limelight as we drive the cars, a victory comes from the whole team. To be able to bring this celebration to Portugal and to my hometown is incredibly special. Very few people get to do something like this and the support I’ve felt from all of Portugal has been a humbling experience and given me so much motivation to do it all over again. Portugal has been struggling as many others from the pandemic, so being able to bring a celebration that a championship win brings has been really good.
The route of about 20 kilometers took the DS E-Tense FE20 through several iconic areas of the city, starting next to “Museu dos Coches” (Belém), and running through “Avenida 24 de Julho”, “Praça do Comércio”, “Rua da Prata”, “Rossio”, “Restauradores”, “Avenida da Liberdade” and “Rotunda Marquês de Pombal”, making a turn into “Museu dos Coches” before heading back.
Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer of Formula E, continued:
Since Antonio was crowned Formula E Champion in August, it’s been fantastic to see the overwhelming response from his home nation celebrating and acknowledging his biggest accomplishment. He is a truly deserving champion and a brilliant ambassador for Formula E and the wider motorsport community. Portugal is a very exciting prospect for us and one we’re keen to explore, especially as I’m sure today has given Antonio a taste of what it could be like to drive in front of his home fans in the future.
It’s an unprecedented event promoted in a context where electric and sustainable mobility takes a major role, including the city of Lisbon, the event highlighted how important the ongoing energy transition is. DS Techeetah’s Portuguese partner Efacec plays a key role in this transition.
Ângelo Ramalho, Efacec Power Solutions Chairman added:
The Formula E platform embodies the ecosystem of innovation and technological evolution that characterises Efacec, across all our business lines and particularly in the electric mobility sector where Efacec stands as an active player and pioneer in the creation of a more sustainable future. The partnership with DS Techeetah Formula E Team has been very rewarding, working as a hub of technological cross fertilisation, knowledge sharing and as an enabler of the energy transition in place, through the promotion of sustainable mobility. Our contentment is only surpassed with the opportunity of celebrating the team achievements in Portugal and the victory of our fellow countryman Antonio Felix da Costa, which brings renewed joy to our country.
As a result of an electrification strategy established right from the start, DS Automobiles is the most efficient multi-energy brand in Europe, having recorded in the first half of 2020 average CO2 emissions below the 80 g/km. The brand fully supports and is one of the promoters for a smart and necessary energy transition.
Having won the ABB FIA Formula E Championship Drivers and Teams titles in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons, DS Automobiles thow strengthens its leadership in electrification, both on track and on the road.
Since 2015, DS Automobiles is adding its Formula E technologies into the development of electrified models that are recognized as a benchmark in their respective classes. Its selection of technologies for electric motors, batteries and power monitors, as well as its software management system, have been fully adopted from racing experience. The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense (a full electric model with an unparalleled level of refinement for a vehicle of its segment), as well as the DS 7 Crossback E-Tense 4×4 300 and the DS 7 Crossback E-Tense 225 (plug-in hybrid with CO2 emissions from 30 g/km), have already placed DS Automobiles in the leading group among premium multi-energy brands.
Thanks to the knowledge obtained in Formula E, underlined by the titles achieved by the DS Techeetah team, the E-Tense range has already achieved benchmark status in a highly active premium electrified vehicle market. The experience and knowledge gained in racing has led the Brand towards competitive technical options, adding more value for its customers and a significantly lower CO2 emissions.
The electrification designed by DS Automobiles conveys a different point of view in terms of performance, style, emotion and sustainable development. As the first premium manufacturer to be involved in Formula E, DS Automobiles has demonstrated its commitment to Research and Development through motorsport.
The experience gained in Formula E has allowed DS Automobiles to choose the best options for each of its series production models in terms of architecture: number and type of gearbox ratios, engine type, balance between torque and power, among others. Altough parts differ from a racing car to a series production model, the concepts are the same, with Formula E’s advanced stage allowing an undeniable input into the development of E-Tense models.
This technology transfer goes beyond architectural choices. One of DS Techeetah team’s major advantages is its energy management systems, amongst the best in Formula E. Although the engine and inverter are the crucial parts of this system, it is also through the advanced software management that the major differences can be reached in racing conditions. These solutions, developed throughout the racing season, offer a unique opportunity to introduce this energy management into series production cars, both in full electric and PHEV models.
The use of electric technologies in road vehicles generates significant efficiencies, transforming state-of-the-art luxury into high performance… DS Automobiles continues to follow its path towards electrification with the upcoming DS 9 E-Tense, a range of plug-in hybrid models capable of delivering up to 360 horsepower. Starting in 2025, all new models from DS will be exclusively electric.
Source: DS Techeetah
Be the first to comment