Antonio Felix da Costa Doesn’t Feel Added Pressure At Red Bull

Rising Red Bull protege Antonio Felix da Costa has explained how he does not feel added pressure whilst working with the Milton Keynes outfit, who have backed his World Series by Renault and GP3 endeavors this past season. After struggling to progress to GP2, da Costa found a drive in GP3 with Carlin.

After Antonio Felix da Costa’s superb start to the 2012 GP3 season, which saw him clinch pole at the season-opening round at Barcelona and 2nd place at Monaco, the Portuguese driver received a call from Red Bull asking whether he’d like to join their Junior Team. This organization has seen numerous drivers rise through the ranks of motor sport to Formula 1, including the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and most notably Sebastian Vettel.

Antonio Felix da Costa enjoyed a superlatively competitive 2012 season, despite its rocky beginnings, as the 21-year-old battled for Championship glory in the GP3, Formula Renault 3.5 and also took a memorable victory at iconic Macau Grand Prix towards the end of the season. These combined results have seen Antonio Felix da Costa become widely regarded as Red Bull’s next rising sensation, and enabled him to drive for Red Bull during their Young Driver Test programme at Abu Dhabi.

Although drivers’ such as Sebastian Vettel have progressed to the top of Formula 1 thanks to the Red Bull Junior Team, the organization has been known to be extremely tough on their drivers. This was clearly evident after the 2011 season in Formula 1 when the decision was made to replace both Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari at Red Bull’s sister outfit Toro Rosso. However, Antonio Felix da Costa does not feel any added pressure at Red Bull, and understands their cut throat nature.

“You have pressure every time – it is not just being at Red Bull.” Explained Antonio Felix da Costa, in an interview with Sky Sports F1, “People talk about the Red Bull programme being very tough on a driver, but at the end of the day they are paying for you to drive and you become an employee for them.

“At the end of the day if they are paying for you to race, then they want you to win and you have to deliver, if not then you go home – that is the policy. If you are quick they take good care of you, if you are not they send you home and I think that is fair enough. Some drivers might get a second chance but that doesn’t happen often with Red Bull and I hope I won’t need one.”

After such a successful 2012 season, Antonio Felix da Costa is eyeing a potential full-time drive in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, after combining his time in the series throughout 2012 with his time in the GP3 series. However, the Portuguese driver would also like to be able to partake in several Friday practice drives in Formula 1 next season, although he is currently remaining coy on his future.

“We will have to see – I don’t know what is going on really,” said Antonio Felix da Costa, when asked about his future plans. “I have heard nothing so far and am just enjoying some holidays and waiting on a phone call from the big guys. At the moment there is not much I can say, but if it is World Series [Formula Renault 3.5], if it is F1, if it is on the simulator, I will just give it my best.”

Formula Renault 3.5, or World Series by Renault as it is also known, has produced some of the top Formula 1 drivers of recent years such as Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. Antonio Felix da Costa could well become the next driver to break into F1 from Formula Renault 3.5, and with Red Bull backing he could most certainly become an instant front-runner with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

Picture Copyright © Daniel Kalisz/GP3 Series Media Service