Porsche 'like a team again' after Antonio Felix da Costa exit

Pascal Wehrlein has outlined that Porsche "feels like a team again" following the exit of António Félix da Costa and the arrival of Nico Müller as his new team-mate.

After three seasons together, da Costa left the German manufacturer at the end of last season to join Jaguar, where he has made an immediate impact.

Wehrlein and da Costa's relationship started positively but took a significant turn for the worse at the 2024 São Paulo E-Prix, the opening round of Season 11.

During the drivers' parade, an incident occurred between Wehrlein and da Costa that resulted in an immediate breakdown in their relationship, creating a sense of toxicity within the Weissach-based outfit.

Tensions were rife at Porsche throughout last year as a result, which were further heightened after the duo clashed on track during practice in Berlin.

Da Costa's departure felt inevitable, with Wehrlein very much Porsche's star, holding a similar reputation to how Max Verstappen is viewed at Red Bull in F1.

Ultimately, da Costa did leave to join Jaguar, with Porsche factory driver Müller moving into the main squad alongside Wehrlein from customer team Andretti.

There is a very different vibe within the Porsche camp, which has been praised by Wehrlein, who has already formed a strong relationship with Müller.

Asked how the Porsche camp feels on the inside following da Costa's move to Jaguar and Müller's arrival, Wehrlein told RacingNews365: "It's a very different atmosphere compared to last season.

"Obviously, it feels like a team again, where everyone is working together and sharing their thoughts — keeping everything inside the organisation and not outside — which is always important for a team to push in the same direction and be very open. And yeah, having Nico as a team-mate is very nice.

"We don't live far from each other. We get along very well. We are in very similar situations in terms of family — we are both young dads. I would say our characters are very similar in many ways as well.

"So yeah, it was just a nice start to the season, and a nice start for him as well, which was important — to settle quickly into the team and into this environment, to get along with the people, and to understand what he needs from the car and what he thinks.

"And the good thing is that, in many areas, we share the same thoughts on how to improve the car."