Jaguar TCS Racing drivers Antonio Felix da Costa and Mitch Evans have confirmed that there will be no ‘papaya rules’ style orders as the close friends embark on Formula E Season 12.
The Portuguese driver will join his close friend Evans at the ‘big cat’ this season, fresh from his unhappy spell at Porsche.
Jaguar is looking to maintain the momentum it held at the end of last season, when it overcame some early-season woe to secure second in the Drivers’ Championship through Nick Cassidy.
But the Kiwi is now at new team Citroen Racing, freeing up the seat for da Costa to join the British marque, and embark on a new chapter, that also sees him returning to the World Endruance Championship with Alpine.
Speaking to select media ahead of the opening race in Sao Paulo this weekend, da Costa, when asked by Motorsport Week if there were any rules or pre-planned guidelines to ensure no friendship-threatening incidents occur.
“I think it’s [their potential on-track battles] going to be happening in a very natural way,” he said. “We did have a few chats already, including with Ian, but also we’ve been spending a lot of time together. And we’ve fought for race wins in the past, some of them in the last lap.
“And over the last 10 years, we’ve never had problems. And even if, you know, we are racing, everybody’s on the limit. Even with all our other competitors, when things don’t go to plan and there’s contact or there’s an accident, as long as everybody’s mature enough to put their hand up and understand who’s being in the wrong, we move on.
“What happens on the track stays on the track, if you do it with respect. But obviously we’ll be staying very, very far away from those parameters as a team. I think the goal is to work together.
“Mitch has been very welcoming and helping me understand and get up to grips with the whole team and the car. So for me, we’ll be very far away from issues and actually use this relationship to empower each other and empower the whole team.”
‘No concern’ from Evans about racing approach with da Costa at Jaguar
Evans also took the same tack as his new team-mate and said there was “no concern” that there will be issues between him and his friend.
“I think he summed it up pretty good,” he said. “It’s a partnership I’m really looking forward to experiencing. I’ve known Antonio since I moved to Europe, so it’s been a long time coming.
“But the transition has been completely seamless, very easy. I think that will continue once we get into racing. Mentality-wise, we’re on the same page.
“We obviously want to go out there and win, but we need to work together to achieve the results we want to do. From my side, there’s absolutely no concern there.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun, yeah.”
Formula E kicks off on Saturday in São Paulo, before returning after Christmas in Mexico for Rounds 2 and 3.
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