Fully focussed on Formula E and GT: António Félix da Costa’s DTM journey draws to an end at the season finale in Hockenheim.

Budapest (HU), 23rd September 2016. Speaking at a press conference
just before the first free practice session ahead of DTM races 15 and
16 of the season at the Hungaroring, near Budapest (HU), BMW works
driver António Félix da Costa (PT) announced details of his plans for
the future: the 25-year-old will bid farewell to the DTM at the end of
the season and will then focus on his involvement in the FIA Formula E
Championship with the Andretti Formula E team for the time being. The
2016/17 season of this series begins on 9th October at the street
circuit in Hong Kong (HK). In addition, Félix da Costa remains a part
of the BMW Motorsport family and will make further appearances in GT racing.

The Portuguese made his DTM debut for BMW Motorsport in 2014, while
at the same time taking to the track as test and reserve driver for
the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Félix da Costa has also been
racing in the FIA Formula E Championship since the inaugural season in
2014/15. The driver from Cascais (PT) contested ten DTM races for BMW
Team MTEK before switching to his current team, BMW Team Schnitzer,
ahead of the 2015 season. His greatest success came on 12th July 2015
in Zandvoort (NL) when he led from start to finish to claim victory in
race two. He had previously secured the first and only pole position
of his DTM career on what was a perfect Sunday for the Portuguese.

“The fans will definitely miss António. He really caught the eye with
his spectacular driving style,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens
Marquardt. “António’s time with BMW in the DTM may be drawing to a
close, but we will continue to work with him. I am very happy about
that, as he is very talented and is one of the best racers I know.
During his relatively brief stint in DTM, he managed to win a race –
not many drivers can claim this. I am sure that he will still give us
and the fans of BMW Motorsport a lot of pleasure in the future.”

“I’m extremely happy to have represented BMW in the DTM for the last
three seasons in a championship that is super competitive and requires
a lot of skill,” said Félix da Costa. “However, I felt extremely
confident from the word go in 2014 where I had one of the best
qualifying results ever for a rookie. I have had a lot of good times
in the DTM, with a pole position and race victories, and have enjoyed
it massively working with my team-mates. However, this championship
requires full-time focus, so I have decided to put all my efforts into
Formula E and am happy to be part of a future international project
for BMW, which is making me very excited and will require a lot of my
time, too. I am really looking forward to the new experiences, am
happy with my decision, but am also obviously very happy to be
continuing as a BMW works driver.”

Félix da Costa will contest four more races for BMW in the DTM. First
up are this weekend’s two rounds in Budapest. He will then drive the
BMW M4 DTM for the final time at the season finale in Hockenheim (DE).
He also gained his first experience of GT racing with BMW in 2016,
including at the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters and
with the BMW M235i Racing in the VLN Endurance Championship at the
iconic Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE).

 

António Félix da Costa’s DTM career in figures:

DTM debut:

Hockenheim 2014

DTM races:

42 (46 by the end of the season)

Wins:

1 (Zandvoort 2015, Sunday)

Podiums:

3 (Zandvoort 2015, Saturday and Sunday, Oschersleben 2015, Sunday)

Pole positions:

1 (Zandvoort 2015, Sunday)

Fastest laps:

1 (Zandvoort 2015, Sunday)

Points:

101

Laps leading:

31

Best finish in the Drivers’ Championship:

11th (2015)