Cupra Teams Up With ABT To Join Formula E

Cupra is no stranger to electric car racing. The company was among the founders of the ETCR Championship, a series dedicated to all-electric touring cars. The competition commenced in 2021 with Hyundai, Cupra, and Alfa Romeo as contenders. The Spanish side joined the series with the e-Racer and won the inaugural season, as well as the 2022 edition.

However, Cupra will not provide a powertrain for the newly established ABT Cupra Formula E Team. The team competing under the German flag will rely on a Mahindra M9Electro powertrain for the 2023 season. The Formula E partnership is pretty much an extension of ABT Cupra's involvement in Extreme E, a championship dedicated to electric off-road vehicles.

While Cupra is new to Formula E racing, ABT has been competing since the series was established in 2014. The Germans teamed up with Audi and used Ingolstadt-built powertrains from 2017 to 2021. ABT won the championship in 2018 and scored three second-place finishes.

Cupra is one of eight automakers that will compete in the 2023 Formula E championship, including McLaren, Jaguar, Porsche, Nissan, and Maserati. ABT Cupra racers will be driven by Robin Frijns and Nico Muller. Frijns already has six Formula E seasons under his belt, having scored two wins and 11 podium finishes so far.

"Joining the Formula E, a unique motorsport platform, underlines our ambition of becoming a truly global relevant brand, with the aim of inspiring the world from Barcelona," said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Cupra.

The 2023 Formula E season is scheduled to debut on January 14 with the Mexico City ePrix. The championship will end 16 races later in London, on July 30.