It was touted as a dress rehearsal to determine if SA’s ambition to return to the Formula One fold is not misplaced, and Saturday’s Cape Town Formula E-Prix didn’t disappoint.

Throngs of fans started lining up the streets leading to the venue – the Cape Town Stadium precinct in Greenpoint – from as early as 7am for an event which had a 4pm start for the main race.

Organisers said over 30 000 tickets – with prices ranging from as little as R350 to the monstrous R3400 – had been sold as motorsport enthusiasts descended on the Mother City eager to see what this country could offer amid interest in hosting the more established Formula One, which was last staged at the Kyalami Circuit in 1993.

The newer Formula E, which is contested strictly by electric cars, surely captured the local population as it took place for the first time on these shores on Saturday, with Antonio da Costa claiming it in sensational fashion after starting 11th on the grid.

Portuguese driver Da Costa conceded he was emotional when seeing the chequered flag after taking the lead in the final lap, so much so that tears streamed down his face after stopping his Porsche.

“I started this race unsure if I could pull this off. That’s why I was crying like a baby at the end. I turn 32 this year but I didn’t know I could cry like that,” Da Costa told the post-race press conference.

He was flanked by fellow podium finishers Jean-Eric Vergne and Nick Cassidy who like him also praised the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix as a success.

“It’s an amazing city to race in. The atmosphere was great and I really hope we come back again here in the future,” said Vergne.

The race saw as many as four drivers pull out due to various mechanical problems but none more unfortunate than Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz, who had recovered from fourth to third place in the penultimate lap, only to lose out on a podium finish after his car hit the wall on the final lap.