Horner would like to have seen what da Costa could do in F1
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner thinks it is “interesting” to consider what Formula E champion Antonio Felix da Costa could have achieved in Formula 1.
Da Costa rose through the junior motorsport ranks as a member of Red Bull’s young driver academy, and completed F1 test running with Force India and Red Bull between 2010 and 2013.
The Portuguese driver finished third in the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5 championship, and was informed he would move up to F1 with Toro Rosso the following year, only for the seat to go to GP3 champion Daniil Kvyat.
A number of drivers who passed through Red Bull’s junior ranks have gone on to enjoy success in other disciplines, including two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne and three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Sebastien Buemi.
Asked if there were any drivers he regrets not having signed to Red Bull’s F1 team, Horner said he thought it would have been interesting to see what da Costa could have achieved in F1.
“I think the great thing is that Red Bull have given this opportunity to so many guys out there,” Horner said.
“Whether it was Jean-Eric Vergne, da Costa, Sebastien Buemi - fantastic to see him win the race [at Le Mans], and indeed he’s still supported by Red Bull - so all drivers that wouldn’t have had that opportunity if it weren’t for Red Bull’s support and patronage in their earlier career days.
“But I don’t think there’s any real regrets. The cream always rises to the top.
“I think that maybe it would have been interesting to see what da Costa could have done in a Formula 1 car, but that opportunity never really presented itself.”
After missing out on the Toro Rosso seat, da Costa moved into DTM for the 2014 season with BMW, before also joining the grid for the inaugural Formula E campaign at Amlin Aguri.
Da Costa ultimately parted company with Red Bull at the end of 2015 after serving as its F1 reserve driver, initially joining Andretti in Formula E before its evolution into BMW’s factory team. He also appeared for BMW in the FIA World Endurance Championship as part of its GTE Pro line-up.
A switch to Techeetah for the 2019-20 Formula E campaign led to da Costa winning the title, marking his first major championship victory.
Da Costa also finished second in the LMP2 class at Le Mans last month, racing for JOTA Sport alongside Anthony Davidson and Roberto Gonzalez.
Antonio Felix da Costa, Red Bull RB9 Renault
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Related video
Previous article
Why latest Honda Formula 1 exit means it may never come back
Next article
Ricciardo: Silence worse than criticism for anti-racism push
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 , Formula E |
| Drivers | Antonio Felix da Costa |
| Teams | Red Bull Racing |
| Author | Luke Smith |
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
