Pascal Wehrlein: Jaguar wanted to "destroy my race” in controversial London finale

Pascal Wehrlein has accused Jaguar rival Antonio Felix da Costa of conspiring against him to “destroy my race” and “ruin my championship” in a contentious Formula E season finale on Sunday.

The German was crowned the 2025-26 champion after beating Jake Dennis and Mitch Evans in the London double header. But tensions flared up as both Porsche and Jaguar deployed team tactics to support their respective championship contenders.

Wehrlein spent much of the race stuck behind da Costa, who deliberately drove slowly around the tight and twisty ExCeL track to keep Wehrlein behind and support Evans’ title bid.

At one stage, Wehrlein even dropped outside the points-scoring positions after he was run wide by da Costa at the exit of Turn 19, allowing a number of drivers to pass him in one sweep.

Jaguar’s team orders followed Porsche deploying similar tactics throughout the weekend, with Wehrlein’s team-mate Nico Muller holding off Evans in both Saturday’s race and the opening phase of the season finale.

Asked if there was any difference between the two teams’ approach, the German said da Costa went too far with his defence, claiming he even tried to brake-test him during the race.

“I think the approach was completely different,” he said in the post-race press conference. “Yesterday, the approach was to leave Mitch behind and to stay in front of him. Today, the approach was to destroy my race and to get me out of the points. 

“I think Antonio tried for 20 laps to ruin my race, driving next to me, slowing down, pushing me against the walls. Slowing down, brake-testing me, and just trying to ruin my race and my championship.

"So, Dennis could pass me due to that. Even when Mitch was already far ahead, he still kept blocking me and dragging me off the track.“

Wehrlein hit out at Jaguar’s tactics in the immediate aftermath of the race, labelling his former team-mate da Costa as an “enemy”. The pair had a fraught relationship during their three years at Porsche together before da Costa left to join the rival Jaguar team.

“How Antonio drove, it's one of the most unsporting and unfair things I have seen,” he said. “That's how it is if you have enemies in a paddock. Still, we made it [and won the title].

“There is another message. I don't forget things. Let's go up, let's have a good off-season. Next year, I won't forget what happened here.”