Cupra Kiro’s promising start ends in double DNF at São Paulo E-Prix

The weekend had been shaping up positively for the team: Dan Ticktum qualified strongly and started second on the grid, while rookie Pepe Martí secured 14th place, lifting morale in the garage… but luck would change just hours later.

The São Paulo E-Prix marked the opening round of the 2025 Formula E season and delivered a start that was both promising — and frustrating — for Cupra Kiro. The Spanish team, buoyed by Dan Ticktum’s strong qualifying performance and Pepe Martí’s solid debut, left the Anhembi circuit with a double DNF that halted what had been a weekend of steady progress.

The race began with a clean start, but into Turn 1, Ticktum’s car was hit, immediately compromising the entire strategy built by the team. The accumulated damage led to Cupra Kiro’s first retirement of the São Paulo round. The British driver explained that a sequence of issues left him with no realistic chance of recovery:

“I really didn’t have a chance. To be honest, I’m a bit delirious, because before the race I told a lot of people that this race would depend heavily on luck — and I think my situation was a pretty good example of what happens when it just doesn’t show up.”

Ticktum further detailed the decision to retire the car:

“When I exited the pit lane, the car snapped and I received my second drive-through penalty. The decision to retire came because we were already a lap down after the first penalty and, on top of that, I had another technical failure. It was a brake issue, something related to the braking system. So someone up there really didn’t like me at that moment — it was definitely terrible luck.”

With Ticktum out, all attention turned to rookie Pepe Martí, who had been putting together a strong and surprising debut.

Solid debut for Martí and top-five pace

For Martí, the São Paulo E-Prix represented not only his first race with Cupra Kiro, but also his official debut in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. In an unusual weekend marked by the cancellation of Friday practice sessions due to organisational technical issues, the Spaniard was forced to adapt to both the category and the circuit in record time.

With only a single free practice session on Saturday morning, learning came quickly. Even so, Martí delivered a consistent qualifying performance, finishing seventh in his group and 14th overall — a result viewed as highly encouraging within the team.

The race itself showed even more progression. With precise energy management and flawless strategic execution, Martí climbed as high as fifth place, opening up a genuine chance of finishing his debut among the standout performers on the grid.

Full Course Yellow incident ends Martí’s race

However, the final phase of the race changed Cupra Kiro’s fortunes. During a Full Course Yellow period, Martí slowed to comply with the prescribed delta, but the cars ahead reduced speed earlier than expected. Contact was unavoidable, ending his race and prompting concern at the circuit — although the driver exited the car uninjured and under his own power.

Following a review, Race Control issued a penalty for the next round, forcing Martí to start from the back of the grid in Mexico City, in addition to assigning four penalty points on his super licence. Reflecting the attitude he showed throughout the weekend, Martí took full responsibility:

“It was a very intense weekend. We only had one free practice session because Friday’s was cancelled, so we arrived at qualifying with very little track time. It was quite difficult to understand the car at the beginning, but we made a significant step forward. Still far from where we want to be, but it was positive progress.”

He also commented on the race itself:

“The race strategy was very well executed. I was managing energy efficiently throughout the first half of the race. In the first attack mode, I wasn’t as effective in overtaking, which left us slightly behind around lap 22.”

On the incident, he explained:

“At the final restart, when everyone was already pushing almost flat out, I activated attack mode. Unfortunately, when the Full Course Yellow was deployed, I slowed down to respect the limit, but I didn’t react quickly enough to António and Nico Müller ahead and ended up making contact. I take full responsibility. We received a very harsh penalty for Mexico, where we’ll start from the back of the grid. It’s a serious penalty at the start of the season.”

He concluded:

“It’s a shame because we were genuinely having a very strong race and fighting for a top five on my debut. The team did a fantastic job, the car was very good, and we deserved to fight for a solid result. I apologise to the entire team.”

Season outlook

Despite the double retirement, Cupra Kiro leaves São Paulo with clear signs of competitiveness: strong qualifying performance, consistent race pace, solid strategy and the potential to fight at the front. The team acknowledges that, under normal circumstances, Martí had the speed to finish inside the top five. Now, the Spaniard and the experienced Ticktum turn their focus to Mexico, where they will aim to transform lessons learned — and the challenge of the penalty — into a new chapter in a season that is only just beginning.