Da Costa, Evans & Wehrlein React: 2026 Madrid E-Prix Driver Interviews
António Félix da Costa of Jaguar TCS Racing celebrated a triumphant victory at the inaugural CUPRA Raval Madrid E-Prix on Saturday, marking his second consecutive win after his success in Jeddah last month. The Portuguese driver, starting from third position, expertly navigated the Circuito del Jarama, utilizing a strategic pit stop on Lap 12 and a late Attack Mode deployment to secure the win.
Da Costa’s win was made all the more special by the presence of his family, who made the six-hour journey from Lisbon to witness the race. The victory was also observed by King Felipe VI of Spain, who attended the event as a guest of honor. “Honestly, it’s a dream day,” Da Costa stated after the race. “To win in front of so much of my family… they see me depart the house and come back, sometimes happy, sometimes sad… but they were here today. They don’t get to see me race, and to do it in front of them is just amazing.”
The race proved physically demanding for drivers, with the track presenting a significant challenge. Da Costa described the circuit as “very demanding for the drivers physically,” adding, “In terms of bravery, it’s a real challenge, old school… We saw a lot of guys today making mistakes and paying a big price for it.”
Jaguar TCS Racing secured a one-two finish, with Mitch Evans finishing a close second, just 0.386 seconds behind Da Costa. Evans acknowledged the team’s strategic success, stating, “Hats off to my strategy guys. They called it, I obviously had to execute it, but I had a clear plan from them and, yeah, that’s what gave me that kind of advantage towards the end.” However, Evans revealed he was instructed to maintain position behind Da Costa in the closing laps, prioritizing a team result and defending against a charging Dan Ticktum.
Pascal Wehrlein of Porsche secured a podium finish, recovering from an early incident involving contact with Nyck de Vries. “I didn’t expect to even finish in the points,” Wehrlein said, explaining that the contact caused damage to his car. “The car got quite a big hit and damage on the rear, and I just struggled with oversteer… basically, the whole race.”
Nick Cassidy of Citroën also celebrated a milestone, achieving the team’s first pole position of the season. “A win, a podium, a pole, if you told me that before the season, I’d be quite happy with that,” Cassidy commented. He finished the race with a broken front wheel after contact with Norman Nato on the final lap.
The Madrid E-Prix marked Formula E’s first visit to the Spanish capital, drawing significant crowds despite inclement weather. Wehrlein praised the event, noting the strong attendance and support from the Spanish government.