Mind Over Movement

MONACO MIGHT BE KNOWN for its glamour, but for me, it's home. I moved to Europe in 2011 to pursue my racing career. It was a big change at 16, going to England first before settling here in the Principality. It's my sanctuary during the busy racing season. It's so important, given how much time we spend away, to have somewhere you look forward to returning to.

The life of a racing driver is fast-paced, but something that never changes is my morning routine, which has become a bit of an anchor for me. I always start at my coffee machine; in my opinion, nothing beats the flat white I make at home. I change my training up with the weather: gym-based when it's colder, and as soon as it warms up, I run along the coastline. Those moments, with my dog Mia in tow, are when everything feels calm - no flights, no time zones to juggle, and no noise. For someone who spends most of the year living out of a suitcase, that calm is something I always cherish.

My favorite part of living here is how beautiful it is. I love the South of France, but Monaco is a special place; it has this unique buzz. It's built for socializing, which is why I love bringing my friends and family here, and probably why so many of them come to the race! Being a racing driver isn't a normal lifestyle, so grounding myself in the normality of spending time with friends is really helpful and it can be just the balance I need during a 17-race season.

A racing driver's helmet is one of the ways we get to showcase who we are, and they become a pretty central part of your personal brand. I have been working with two incredible Māori designers to bring together my race helmets this season, with a special one planned for the Monaco race. It's a fresh take on the Māori motifs from my tribe in Northern New Zealand that I always carry with me and am now easily recognized for. Those patterns are a constant reminder of where I come from, and I've loved drawing in aspects of my current home here in Monaco to blend these two parts of myself for the race.

Living here in Monaco, I'm surrounded by athletes from all sports. It's a great community to be a part of, with people around who understand the demands of this lifestyle without having to explain. This concentration of athletes in Monaco means the facilities here are world-class, whether that be the gyms and training centers or the people based here. A key part of my personal team is my psychologist, Kerry Spackman, whom I work with alongside my team at Jaguar TCS Racing. It's so important for me to have this support all season long.

The race is a focal point on the calendar, and it means a lot to the championship's partners like Julius Baer, who have a strong and visible presence here in Monaco. This event is a true flagship moment for them. As a founding partner of the series, they have been along the journey with Formula E, as have I since I joined in 2016. It's always exciting when we get to come back to a repeat venue like Monaco, to see how the fandom of the sport has grown, or how the cars have developed as the teams and manufacturers have worked to extract every inch out of the machinery.

One of the most exciting things as a racing driver in Monaco is seeing the place transform as the track is built for the Formula E race. Seeing the grandstands pop up never gets old; it's very special. Monaco has such a rich motorsport history, and even outside race week, walking these famous streets daily is something I never take for granted. I feel most connected to the place when I get to race on the streets I walk every day. I feel both a unique sense of pride and pressure.

I'm grateful to have been able to etch my name into the racing history books around this track, with a race win, several podiums and a Julius Baer Pole Position Trophy.

Despite the added pressure of a home race, it's one of the few times we don't have to tackle a massive time zone shift or significant stints of travel as we do for other races. I try not to have set routines or rituals during a race week, especially if we are going to a new city. I don't want to anchor myself in a particular practice or superstition that I might not be able to replicate from place to place. I try to keep things simple, prioritizing hydration and high-protein meals. Finding healthy food on the road is one of the biggest challenges, so staying hydrated is non-negotiable for me.

Things change rapidly in a race, so we have to be mentally sharp. I know that my physical wellness directly impacts my mental state, which is why I work so hard with my team to optimize the things I can control: my sleep, my hydration, and how my body feels heading into a race weekend. Sleep is something I find interesting and work a lot on with my team, especially around the big time zone swings when we go to South America or Asia. I've built some pretty solid pre-sleep rituals, like reducing screen time and using blue light glasses. The team also builds me a jet lag recovery plan to help me get back on my A-game quickly.

I can't wait to get back out racing on the streets of Monaco, I hope to see many of you at the race!

By Mitch Evans