Felix da Costa is convinced that Gen4 will bring more fans to Formula E: "We need the wow factor"

During the final double-header of the 2024-25 season in London, an interview session was held with Porsche driver Antonio Felix da Costa, in which e-Formula.news also took part. Among other things, he spoke about the upcoming Gen4. For him, Formula E needs the "wow factor" in the future, which seems to be lacking at the moment.

Porsche works driver Antonio Felix da Costa clearly doesn't seem to be a fan of the current generation of Formula E cars. He shares an opinion that seems to be shared by the majority of fans: "It's no secret that nobody is a big fan of the look of the car - even if we have got used to it," said the Portuguese in the Q&A session, adding: "We do have fast cars at the moment, but unfortunately it is difficult to make them look fast on TV because we drive on tracks that are too small."

"We need the wow factor, which is lacking at the moment," he continues. "When you look at Formula 1, you immediately think: 'Wow, these cars look fast! These cars look good!" The Gen4 car will bring back that 'wow factor'. The cars will be faster and look better. That is exactly what Formula E needs right now."

"We must not shy away from anything if our popularity increases"

"The Gen2 car was great when I think back on it," he enthuses. "Now I can hardly wait for the Gen4 to arrive. I am also concerned with the popularity of the series. We will have a car that will come closer to the lap times of Formula 1. On the technical side, it will even overtake F1. I'm looking forward to that!"

The cars in the electric series are getting faster and faster. Since the introduction of Gen3, it has been noticeable that Formula E is therefore increasingly turning to classic racetracks, as there is simply not enough space for the powerful vehicles on the previous tracks - for example in Rome.

"Compromise between power & track size an important issue"

When asked whether Formula E should therefore focus even more on classic racetracks, Felix da Costa told e-Formula.news: "Yes and no. As Formula E, we should still make a strong effort to stay in the cities. On the other hand, it is never good if the circuits are too small. London will be too small for the Gen4 cars, I think."

"There are already talks about managing the performance of the cars," he says, bringing up current considerations for the future. "We don't need 800 hp everywhere. For example, we could drive with 500 hp in London and 850 hp at Silverstone. We can regulate our performance by computer. For me, that is the beauty of Formula E."

"On the other hand, we must not be afraid to go to Silverstone when the series gets bigger and more popular," he adds. "Of course, it is not good if only 20,000 to 30,000 are filled with a capacity of 200,000. We have to see how the series develops. But the compromise between the right power and the track size is definitely an important issue."

"Gen4 will attract more people"

Felix da Costa, however, still sees great potential in Formula E and is hopeful about the future: "We are still growing. We are continuing to work in the background to make the product even better for the fans. We now also have 'our own documentary series'. We are definitely on the right track and can take the next big step with the Gen4 car and everything else combined."

Before the Gen4 car arrives, however, the last season with the Gen3 cars is coming up. This begins on 5 December in Sao Paulo, with the last race of the Gen3 era taking place on 16 August 2026 in London.