Nicolas Costa
| Nicolas Costa | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Brazilian |
| Born | 14 November 1991 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| FIA World Endurance Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | United Autosports |
| Racing licence |  FIA Silver |
| Car number | 59 |
| Starts | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | TBA in 2024 |
| Previous series | |
| 2023 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2013–14 2011–12 | Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil Super Taikyū - ST-X International GT Open Blancpain GT Series Asia Italian GT Championship F4 Japanese Championship Pro Mazda Championship Formula Abarth |
| Championship titles | |
| 2023 2016 2012 2010 | Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil Italian GT Championship - SuperGTCup Formula Abarth European Series Formula Abarth Italian Series Formula Future Fiat |
Nicolas Costa (born 14 November 1991) is a Brazilian racing driver who is set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship for United Autosports. He was champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil in 2023.
Career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Costa began his motorsport career in karting in 2002 at the age of ten, racing in various championships in Brazil. He would go on to rack up fifteen championships over the course of seven years, and finish runner-up to Leonardo Cordeiro in the national Petrobras Karting Championship in 2008.[1] After receiving a scholarship from the Skip Barber Racing School in the United States, he made his formula racing debut in 2009, making a one-off appearance in the MSA Formula Ford Championship in the United Kingdom. He would contest his first full season of car racing the following year in Felipe Massa's new Formula Future Fiat series; his subsequent championship victory earned him admission into the Ferrari Driver Academy, making him the first South American to become an academy member.[2]
After gaining the support of Ferrari, Costa moved to the European single-seater ladder for 2011, competing in the European and Italian Formula Abarth series for Cram Competition. He would go on to finish ninth and fifth respectively in the two championships and was ultimately dropped from Ferrari's roster at the end of the year. However, he would remain in Formula Abarth for the 2012 season, moving to Vincenzo Sospiri's Euronova Racing team, operated by Fortec Motorsport. His second-year campaign would prove far more successful, as he went on to win both the European and Italian championship titles over Luca Ghiotto.[3] Costa also participated in the GP3 Series' annual post-season test twice, driving for Carlin in 2011 and Marussia Manor Racing in 2012, but ultimately did not secure a race seat.[4][5]
Costa moved to the United States' Road to Indy in 2013, competing on a part-time basis in the Pro Mazda Championship; after claiming four podiums in a part-time campaign with Team Pelfrey, he joined Dallas-based M1 Racing for the following season on a round-by-round basis.[6] After initial struggles in the first three rounds, a return to Team Pelfrey for the remainder of the season yielded better results, with a pair of pole positions and a race win at Mid-Ohio, plus three other second-place finishes, being enough for Costa to end the season fifth in the standings.
Costa made his surprise debut in the F4 Japanese Championship in 2015, rejoining Vincenzo Sospiri Racing (VSR)'s Zap Speed-operated team alongside Takuro Shinohara as a junior driver for Lamborghini Squadra Corse.[7] Despite a promising fourth-place finish in the season's opening round at Okayama, Costa failed to score points for the remainder of his campaign and was replaced by fellow Brazilian Gustavo Myasava before the fifth round at Sugo. However, he would retain his connections to the team, taking part in a test in a Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo alongside Shinohara at Adria International Raceway in October 2015.[8]
Sports car racing career[edit]
Between 2016 and 2018, Costa raced for Vincenzo Sospiri Racing and Lamborghini in various GT series, partnering fellow VSR protégés Yūki Nemoto and Ling Kang for campaigns in the Italian GT Championship, Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, and the International GT Open championship. He would claim the GTCup class championship in Italian GT in 2016, and claim a second-place finish in a one-off appearance in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia at Suzuka, driving alongside Sandy Stuvik.[9][10] Costa returned to Japan to contest the Super Taikyū endurance racing series in 2019, driving a B-Max-operated Nissan GT-R GT3 for Tairoku Racing, and would finish on the podium at the Fuji 24 Hours with team owners Tairoku Yamaguchi and Shinichi Takagi, Satoshi Motoyama, and Harrison Newey before the team's withdrawal from the championship.[11] He spent 2020 as a driver coach in Super Taikyū.[1]
Costa returned to his native Brazil in 2021, spending the next three seasons competing in Porsche 911-based one-make championships. After competing part-time in the Porsche Endurance Challenge Brasil for two seasons, Costa moved to the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil for 2023. After winning the season's first round at Interlagos from pole position, becoming the series' first debut race winner since 2018,[12] Costa went on to win another six races and claim the championship title by twenty-eight points over four-time series champion Miguel Paludo.[13]
FIA World Endurance Championship[edit]
In February 2024, Costa was announced to be returning to the international stage, piloting a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo for United Autosports in the FIA World Endurance Championship alongside Grégoire Saucy and James Cottingham.[14]
Racing record[edit]
Career summary[edit]
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Formula Future Fiat | N/A | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 116 | 1st |
| Skip Barber National Championship | Skip Barber Racing School | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 101 | 13th | |
| 2011 | Formula Abarth European Series | Cram Competition | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 9th |
| Formula Abarth Italian Series | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 5th | ||
| 2012 | Formula Abarth European Series | Euronova Racing by Fortec | 24 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 266 | 1st |
| Formula Abarth Italian Series | 18 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 194 | 1st | ||
| Fórmula 3 Sudamericana | Hitech Racing | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 8th | |
| 2013 | Pro Mazda Championship | Team Pelfrey | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | N/A† | NC† |
| 2014 | Pro Mazda Championship | M1 Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 5th |
| Team Pelfrey | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| 2015 | F4 Japanese Championship | VSR Lamborghini S.C. Formula Jr. | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 18th |
| Stock Car Brasil | Bardahl Hot Car | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A† | NC† | |
| 2016 | Italian GT Championship - GTCup | Vincenzo Sospiri Racing | 12 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 186 | 1st |
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe - Pro-Am | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 13th | ||
| 2017 | Blancpain GT Series Asia - GT3 | Vincenzo Sospiri Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 21st |
| Blancpain GT Series Asia - Silver | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 10th | |||
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe - Pro | VS Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia | X-One Racing Team | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A† | NC† | |
| 2018 | International GT Open - Pro | Vincenzo Sospiri Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 18th |
| 2019 | Super Taikyū - ST-X | TAIROKU Racing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40‡ | 7th‡ |
| 2021 | Porsche Endurance Challenge Brasil - GT3 Cup | Dener Motorsport | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 19th |
| Porsche Endurance Challenge Brasil - GT3 Sport | 1 | 1 | 100 | 11th | |||||
| 2022 | Porsche Endurance Challenge Brasil - Carrera Cup | Dener Motorsport | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil | Porsche AG | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 223 | 1st |
| Império Endurance Brasil - P1 | Power Imports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A† | NC† | |
| 2024 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 | United Autosports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | NC* |
| TCR South America Touring Car Championship | Cobra Racing Team |
† As Costa was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
‡ Team standings.
* Season still in progress.
Complete Stock Car Brasil results[edit]
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Bardahl Hot Car | Chevrolet Sonic | GOI 1 22 |
RBP 1 |
RBP 2 |
VEL 1 |
VEL 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
SCZ 1 |
SCZ 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
GOI 1 |
CAS 1 |
CAS 2 |
BRA 1 |
BRA 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
TAR 1 |
TAR 2 |
INT 1 |
NC† | – |
† As Costa was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
Complete Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil results[edit]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Porsche AG | SÃO 1 1 |
SÃO 2 3 |
SÃO2 1 3 |
SÃO2 2 Ret |
GOI 1 1 |
GOI 2 4 |
SÃO 1 1 |
SÃO 2 3 |
ARG 1 1 |
ARG 2 1 |
SÃO 1 1 |
SÃO 2 1 |
1st | 259 |
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results[edit]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | United Autosports | LMGT3 | McLaren 720S GT3 Evo | McLaren M840T 4.0 L Turbo V8 | QAT 14 |
IMO | SPA | LMS | SÃO | COA | FUJ | BHR | NC* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
American open-wheel racing results[edit]
Pro Mazda Championship[edit]
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Team Pelfrey | AUS | AUS | STP | STP | IND | IOW | TOR 3 |
TOR 6 |
MOS 5 |
MOS 10 |
MOH 15 |
MOH 3 |
TRO | TRO | HOU 3 |
HOU 2 |
NC† | 0† |
| 2014 | M1 Racing | STP 8 |
STP 16 |
BAR 19 |
BAR 8 |
IMS 15 |
IMS 16 |
5th | 224 | ||||||||||
| Team Pelfrey | LOR 4 |
HOU 2 |
HOU 5 |
MOH 1 |
MOH 2 |
MIL 5 |
SON 4 |
SON 2 |
† As Costa was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "ニコラス・コスタ". Ramblas.inc. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Nicolas Costa nel Ferrari Driver Academy". italia-racing (in Italian). 14 December 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Allen, Peter (30 September 2012). "Nicolas Costa crowned Formula Abarth champion". Formula Scout. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Mitch Evans stays on top in Barcelona GP3 test". Autosport. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Allen, Peter (23 November 2012). "PaddockScout top 50 talents of 2012: 50-41". Formula Scout. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Costa Joins M1 Racing For St. Pete Pro Mazda Doubleheader". USF Pro 2000 Championship. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Nicolas Costa joins VSR Lamborghini Formula Junior Team" (PDF). Vincenzo Sospiri Racing. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "篠原拓朗とニコラス・コスタがスーパー・トロフェオでテストに参加。" [Takuro Shinohara and Nicholas Costa participate in Super Trofeo test] (PDF). VSR Lamborghini Squadra Corse (in Japanese). 2 October 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Costa claims Super GT Cup championship". Vincenzo Sospiri Racing. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "2nd place and Silver Cup victory for Stuvik and Costa". Vincenzo Sospiri Racing. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "TAIROKU Racing with B-Max Engineering、鈴鹿10時間への参戦を断念。今季活動も休止へ". auto sport web (in Japanese). 5 August 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Nicolas Costa e Marcelo Tomasoni são os primeiros vencedores da Porsche Cup C6 Bank Mastercard em 2023" [Nicolas Costa and Marcelo Tomasoni are the first winners of the Porsche Cup C6 Bank Mastercard in 2023]. Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 March 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Carrera Cup: o ano do brilho de Nicolas Costa" [Carrera Cup: Nicolas Costa's year of brilliance]. Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 November 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "WEC: Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil champion Nicolas Costa joins 2024 line-up". United Autosports. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
External links[edit]
- Nicolas Costa career summary at DriverDB.com
- 1991 births
- Living people
- Brazilian racing drivers
- Racing drivers from São Paulo
- FIA World Endurance Championship drivers
- United Autosports drivers
- Japanese F4 Championship drivers
- Lamborghini Squadra Corse drivers
- Indy Pro 2000 Championship drivers
- Formula Abarth drivers
- Stock Car Brasil drivers
- Lamborghini Super Trofeo drivers
- International GT Open drivers
- Euronova Racing drivers
- Fortec Motorsport drivers
- Team Pelfrey drivers
- Cram Competition drivers
- Hitech Grand Prix drivers
- Formula 3 Sudamericana drivers
- TCR South America Touring Car Championship drivers