2023 Cupra ABT Formula E

CUPRA further strengthens its commitment to electric motorsport as it joins ABT to compete in Formula E

• ABT CÚPRA will compete in ABB FIA Formula E, the competition that brings electric racing to the heart of the world's most iconic cities, from 2023
•Building on success in FIA ETCR and Extreme E, it's a natural next step for CÚPRA as it continues to prove that electrification and performance are a perfect match
•CÚPRA will partner with ABT Sportsline under the name ABT CÚPRA Formula E Team, with drivers Robin Frijns (Netherlands) and Nico Müller (Switzerland) signed up for the team's maiden season

CÚPRA has spent the past four years reinventing motorsport and going out to win, developing the e-Racer – the world's first 100% electric touring car – and recording achievements in competitions like the FIA ETCR series and Extreme E. CÚPRA is a brand with racing in its DNA, with big ambitions for sustainable racing.

Now CÚPRA – which has the ambition to become a fully electrified brand by 2030 – is ready for the next stage of its development and will join ABT to compete in Formula E, the world's leading electric racing competition, for the 2023 season. It's a natural step for CÚPRA as it strives to transform the racing world and prove that electrification and performance are a perfect match.

ABB FIA Formula E is the world's first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport that has been net-zero certified since its inception and shares the same DNA as CÚPRA. Both reach a diverse audience that shares a common attitude. It's a group made up of technology and innovation enthusiasts that merge the physical and digital worlds. Like CÚPRA, Formula E is present in the metaverse with an official blockchain racing game, and both brands reach individuals that value sustainability and are passionate about racing and performance.

'Racing is at the core of CÚPRA's DNA, and at CÚPRA we go out to win,' said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CÚPRA. 'It's the right time to take the next leap forward and join the world's greatest electric motorsport competition, and I can't wait to see the ABT CÚPRA Formula E team competing in the heart of some of the world's most iconic cities. 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.'

With team drivers Robin Frijns (Netherlands) and Nico Müller (Switzerland) signed up for 2023, the ABT CÚPRA Formula E team's participation in the 'KönigKlasse' of all electric performance racing platforms will have a huge impact on the brand thanks to the global visibility and technical innovation capabilities that Formula E provides. Both ABT and CÚPRA will reinforce their relationship as main partners in the team and Mahindra Racing will supply the powertrain technology.

CÚPRA already partners with ABT for Extreme E, and the brands are both electric racing pioneers. ABT has seen great success in Formula E with its own team, and CÚPRA began its electric motorsport journey by developing the e-Racer, the world's first all-electric touring car. Their ongoing partnership is proof of CÚPRA and ABT's shared vision of reinventing the world of motorsport through electrification.

Creating the e-Racer led CÚPRA to join The FIA ETCR World Cup – the world's first all-electric touring car championship – where the team claimed the Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championship double in both 2021 and 2022. In 2022, CÚPRA EKS' drivers made up all the top-three places in the season's final standings. The CÚPRA e-Racer was by far the fastest and most reliable car in the competition for the second year in a row.

Extreme E is a global electric-SÚV off-road competition that highlights natural environments under threat from climate change. Participation in the competition complements the way that CÚPRA is moving towards an electrified range by the end of this decade and the brand shares the competition's belief in the importance of highlighting the issues caused by climate change.

Back in 2018, CÚPRA's ambition was to reinvent racing. Thanks to a few believers with big dreams, the brand has continued to challenge racing performance and pioneer new formats of the sport, creating new emotions and experiences.



In 2020, the brand maintained its upward trend with an 11% growth and 27,400 vehicles sold, thanks to the strong performance of the CÚPRA Ateca and the CÚPRA Leon as well as the market entry of the CÚPRA Formentor, the first model uniquely designed and developed for the brand. In 2021, CÚPRA aims to prove that electrification and sportiness are a perfect match with the launch of the plug-in hybrid versions of the CÚPRA Formentor and its first 100% electric model, the CÚPRA el-Born.

CÚPRA will participate this year in the off-road electric SÚV's competition Extreme E. Additionally, it is also FC Barcelona's official automotive and mobility partner and World Padel Tour's premium sponsor. The CÚPRA Tribe is made up of a team of ambassadors who share the brand values, such as the German goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, the Swedish driver Mattias Ekström and five of the best padel players in the world, among others.

Source - Cupra