F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Monaco EPrix: Da Costa snatches thrilling win on final lap

Antonio Felix da Costa was determined not to let a hard-fought pole position go to waste in Saturday's Monaco EPrix, the DS Techeetah winning the round with a dramatic last lap move on race leader Mitch Evans.

Da Costa led the early laps of the race but was overhauled by fellow front-row man Frijns. The Brazilian's passage over the Attack Mode gate delivered extra watts but failed to allow him to recoup his position at the front of the field.

Instead, da Costa fell into the clutches of his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne and Jaguar's Mitch Evans. Up ahead, Frijns succeeded in building a small 1.4s cushion, but the Dutchman relinquished his edge and fell behind Maximilian Gunther when he again activated his Attack Mode.

But Frijns pressed on, overtaking the German and then passing da Costa on the run to the Nouvelle Chicane.

However, da Costa's second run through the energy gate allowed the Brazilian to reel in and pass Frijns once again, while Evans used his own Attack Mode bonus to slot into second with a move on the Virgin Racing driver at Ste Devote.

Evans – unhindered by a short safety car period - upheld his momentum and passed da Costa with a brave move on the outside of Beau Rivage.

But the Kiwi's energy levels were quickly falling, with da Costa delivering the coup de grace along the Mediterranean seafront on the final lap on the run down t the chicane.

As da Costa collected the win, it only got worse for Evans who was pipped for second by Frijns, with Vergne and Gunther rounding off the top-five.

A double retirement for Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne in the Mercedes camp propelled Frijns to the top of the Drivers' standings with 62 points, or a 5-point lead over de Vries, with Evans now sitting third with 54 points.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

An F1 journeyman made of the right stuff

Former F1 driver Brett Lunger, born on this day in 1945, is pictured here hitching…

8 minutes ago

Schumacher: Hamilton ‘not fast enough’ to have Ferrari n°1 status

Ralf Schumacher has once again questioned Lewis Hamilton's credentials at Ferrari, arguing that the seven-time…

1 hour ago

Wolff reveals who stopped him from quitting Mercedes

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that he offered his resignation to Mercedes-Benz group…

2 hours ago

F1 teams reach record $50 billion valuation led by Ferrari

Formula 1’s commercial surge has propelled the collective enterprise value of its 11 teams to…

4 hours ago

Sainz exposes lingering flaws in Pirelli’s rain tyre range

Carlos Sainz insists Pirelli still has considerable work to do on its intermediate tyre which…

20 hours ago

Vasseur relieved after Ferrari reset: ‘They left my room joking'

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur admits to feeling relieved after his sit-down in Brazil with…

21 hours ago