Formula E driver Antonio Felix Da Costa says the feelgood factor in the paddock has helped him out of the doldrums and back into form after a four-year winless drought.

The Portuguese driver claimed his first victory since January 2015 at the season opener in Saudi Arabia in December and is targeting further success in 2019.

Da Costa held off defending champion Jean-Eric Vergne to take the checkered flag in Riyadh and clinch just the second victory of his career.

“It has been nice because a lot of people who are there with me have struggled like I have,” Da Costa told CNN ahead of the season’s second race in Marrakesh earlier this month.

“We’ve all been through these tough times — it’s not easy when you have two years of no good results and you stlil get along well and keep the friendships and working methods going

“I was pleased for myself but also the team around me. I saw some tears from some of the old boys.”

For Costa, the victory brought an end to a difficult four years in which he had often left the track frustrated after failing to secure a single victory since his triumph in Argentina.

The next race takes place in Chile’s capital Santiago on January 26.