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Autosport
Autosport
Sport
Jake Boxall-Legge

Da Costa cannot "lean" on last year's Monaco Formula E result for 2022 win

In the 2021 edition of the race, the first Formula E race run on the full Monaco course after previous races had been run on a shortened track, da Costa took the lead of the race on the final lap as Mitch Evans started to hit energy trouble.

Da Costa had picked his way past the Jaguar driver with a move at the Nouvelle Chicane, and kept the lead through the final sequence of corners to take victory.

Owing to the nature of his win, da Costa told Autosport that he had warned his team that it cannot rely on its success from last season, explaining that the closeness of the field in the 2021-22 season means that it will be much harder to secure a repeat victory.

"For sure we were quick here last year, but also if you really analyse it, we were on pole by nothing and won the race on the last lap," reflected da Costa.

"So it could have gone either way. And so I really try and tell my team, 'let's not lean on what happened last year, we've got to start from scratch', and if anything it's going to be even harder because everyone's on the same car, same regulations.

"And everyone's done a step forwards from last year, so we really have to focus on having a good car, which we do, and executing a nice day.

"I think that's going to be the key. Because good cars, good drivers, we have that all down the pitlane. It's going to be down to executing when it matters."

Antonio Felix Da Costa, DS Techeetah, 1st position (Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images)

Da Costa also explained that making it through the group stage - and potentially even breaking through into the semi-finals - will be "crucial" to any victory chances.

He also explained that the team will have to ensure it is well-prepared, given it only has one race this weekend, to take maximum points.

"Preparation and then yeah, just you've just got to do the lap when it matters," da Costa explained. "Qualifying will be crucial; getting into and starting top five will be crucial for the race.

"And then after that, it's a case of just being smart in the race and having a good strategy, which we did last year."

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