Albert Costa (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
Karting
Costa started his international karting career in 2004, in the Copa Campeones Trophy for ICA JuniorIntercontinental A
KF2, is a kart racing class for top drivers aged 15 and up.This class used to be called Intercontinental A and has changed since January 2007 when CIK-FIA decided to replace the 100 cc water-cooled two-stroke engines with 125 cc Touch-and-Go water-cooled two-stroke engines . Chassis and...
class karts, finishing in seventh position. He continued in the same class in 2005, with the exception of the Copa Campeones Trophy, where he competed in the ICA class. He finished seventh again in that race, adding a seventh in the Spanish ICA Junior Championship, a 27th in the Andrea Margutti Trophy, and 29th in the European Championship. However, Costa excelled himself later in the season, winning the Italian Open Masters
Italian Open Masters
The Italian Open Masters is a kart racing series based in Italy.-Formula A/KF1:-Intercontinental A/KF2:-Intercontinental A Junior/KF3:-Intercontinental C/KZ2:-External links:*...
. He held off the challenges of Charles Pic
Charles Pic
Charles Pic is a French racing driver who will race in Formula One in with Marussia.-Karting:...
and Marcus Ericsson
Marcus Ericsson
Marcus Ericsson is a Swedish race car driver. After a successful début in car racing in 2007 which saw him take the British Formula BMW title with Fortec Motorsport, he moved up into the British team's British Formula Three squad...
to win the title by nine points. He continued in karting in 2006, but moved into the ICA class full-time. He competed in five different championships over the course of the season, but only finished in the top fifteen in the Asian-Pacific Championship.
Formula Three
Costa made the substantial leap from karting to Formula ThreeFormula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
, missing out many conventional lower single-seater formulae. He drove for Räikkönen Robertson Racing in the first five rounds of the series, before funds dried up. His best result came during the series' first visit to the Bucharest Ring
Bucharest Ring
The Bucharest Ring is a street circuit in the Romanian capital city of Bucharest.Designed by famed track designer Hermann Tilke, the circuit is in the city centre, and has the Palace of the Parliament in its infield....
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, when he finished fourth in class, just over a second behind Hamad Al Fardan
Hamad Al Fardan
Hamad Al Fardan is a Bahraini racing driver. He is the first Bahraini to drive at GP2 Series level.-Formula BMW:...
who finished third.
Formula Renault
After his Formula Three career was cut short by lack of funds, Costa dropped down to Formula RenaultFormula Renault
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...
to compete in the Eurocup
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 is a Formula Renault 2.0 championship with a presence of many Formula Renault championships drivers. It serves as a support series to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series as part of the World Series by Renault....
and West European Cup
Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup
The Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup was a Formula Renault 2.0 championship that replaced the Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 as of 2008...
for Epsilon Euskadi
Epsilon Euskadi
EPIC Racing is a racing team from Spain, and a division of Spanish company Epsilon Euskadi. The team's headquarters are located in Azkoitia . It is the only major motorsport team from the Basque Country,...
. Costa finished eighth in the pan-European series, despite failing to finish on the podium in any of the fourteen races. His best finish was fourth at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
and Le Mans
Circuit de la Sarthe
The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year...
. He also recorded the fastest lap during the first race at Estoril
Autódromo do Estoril
The Autódromo do Estoril is a race course in Portugal, owned by state-run holding management company Parpública. Its length is . It was the home of the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996....
. He placed three spots higher in the WEC, finishing fifth overall and runner-up in the rookie standings behind Jean-Éric Vergne
Jean-Eric Vergne
Jean-Éric Vergne is a professional racing driver from France. He was the 2010 British Formula Three champion.-Karting:...
.
Costa continued with Epsilon into 2009, again competing in the Eurocup and West European Cup. He won the Eurocup, holding off the challenges of both Vergne and António Félix da Costa
António Félix da Costa
António Maria de Mello Breyner Félix da Costa is a Portuguese auto racing driver. His elder brother Duarte is also a racing driver. He currently resides in Cascais.-Karting:...
, and two weeks later, sealed the WEC title thanks to a double win at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve commonly referred to as Portimao Circuit is a race circuit located in Portimão, Portugal. With a total cost of €195 million , the project includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.Construction was finished in...
. Costa won thirteen of the 28 races he competed in, winning five in the Eurocup and eight in the WEC.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series
After being awarded €Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
500,000 prize money for winning the Eurocup title, Costa graduated to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2010 with Epsilon Euskadi.
Career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | British F3 National Class 2007 British Formula Three season The 2007 British Formula Three season was the 57th British Formula Three Championship season. It commenced on April 9, 2007 and ended on September 30 after twenty two races, with Estonian driver Marko Asmer crowned champion.-Teams and drivers:-Calendar:... |
Räikkönen Robertson Racing | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 11th |
| 2008 | Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup 2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season The 2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season was the eighteenth Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season. The season began at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on May 3 and finished at the Circuit de Catalunya on October 19, after fourteen rounds... |
Epsilon Euskadi Epsilon Euskadi EPIC Racing is a racing team from Spain, and a division of Spanish company Epsilon Euskadi. The team's headquarters are located in Azkoitia . It is the only major motorsport team from the Basque Country,... |
14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 8th |
| Formula Renault 2.0 WEC | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 85 | 5th | ||
| 2009 | Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup 2009 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season The 2009 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season was the nineteenth Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season. The season began at Circuit de Catalunya on April 18 and finished at the Ciudad del Motor de Aragón on October 25, after fourteen rounds. This season was the last for the current specification Tatuus... |
Epsilon Euskadi Epsilon Euskadi EPIC Racing is a racing team from Spain, and a division of Spanish company Epsilon Euskadi. The team's headquarters are located in Azkoitia . It is the only major motorsport team from the Basque Country,... |
14 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 138 | 1st |
| Formula Renault 2.0 WEC | 14 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 172 | 1st | ||
| 2010 | Formula Renault 3.5 Series | Epsilon Euskadi Epsilon Euskadi EPIC Racing is a racing team from Spain, and a division of Spanish company Epsilon Euskadi. The team's headquarters are located in Azkoitia . It is the only major motorsport team from the Basque Country,... |
18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 78 | 5th |