Da Costa secured his first win of the season at the Misano E-Prix, only to later face disqualification due to post-race checks revealing a discrepancy with the Throttle Damper Spring in his Porsche. The FIA cited non-conformity with one of the optional items declared in the GEN3 Spark Catalogue.
During scrutineering, it was found that the Throttle Damper Spring mounted in Da Costa’s car did not align with the declared parts in the GEN3 Spark Catalogue. The team claimed they hadn’t changed the part since the beginning of the season, but it was no longer listed in the current catalogue.
The team manager acknowledged that the sealed part in question had been mounted and sealed as per the Technical Report, but argued that the removal of parts from the catalogue wasn’t highlighted, causing confusion. Spark, the manufacturer, confirmed the part was listed in the Gen2 catalogue but not in Gen3, and changes weren’t explicitly notified.
In response to the penalty announcement, Da Costa expressed his frustration on Instagram, claiming the part was originally from Spark and had been used throughout the previous season without issue. He questioned if other teams might also be affected by similar oversights in the rulebook.
Porsche has announced their intention to appeal the disqualification, with a 96-hour window to decide on further action. This adds another layer of uncertainty to the situation, prolonging the resolution of the race result.
Prior to the disqualification, Da Costa had expressed relief at his victory, which he felt came at a crucial moment amid mounting pressure. Despite a difficult start to the season, the win seemed to alleviate some of the stress surrounding his performance.
With Da Costa’s disqualification, Oliver Rowland has been declared the winner, marking his first Formula E victory since 2020. Reigning champion Jake Dennis moves up to second place, while Maximilian Guenther secures a spot on the podium, reshaping the outcome of the race.