The Portuguese had surged from 11th on the grid to factor into the leading battle, taking the lead from Nick Cassidy on the 24th lap with a brave outside pass in the flat-out Turn 8 before motoring off into the distance.
With enough of a lead to take his second and final attack mode, da Costa missed one of the three activation loops and haemorrhaged part of his lead to the chasing Vergne, still with a minute of 350kW left to take.
