Martorell, 27 January 2023 – ABT CUPRA XE has confirmed its participation in the 2023 Extreme E season, unveiled a new livery for the Tavascan XE, and announced its new driver line-up.
For the 2023 season, Nasser Al-Attiyah is joined by Klara Andersson after impressive performances last year, including a podium finish in Chile in September and the team’s victory at the Energy X Prix in Uruguay in November.
Extreme E aims to encourage everyone to take positive action to protect the planet’s future, using off-road electric racing in natural environments under threat from climate change to highlight how we can prevent further damage and contribute to sustainability.
Extreme E is also one of the only major motor racing competitions that has mixed-gender driving teams, which matches CUPRA’s commitment to gender equality. Being part of the CUPRA tribe is not about gender, it is about spirit, mindset and attitude. It was the first automotive brand to announce its participation in 2021, joining forces with ABT Sportsline as the team’s main partner.
Having completed its second season, which culminated in a sixth-place finish in the overall standings, the ABT CUPRA XE team is focused on achieving consistent results in its third season. Now in his second season for ABT CUPRA XE, five-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah (2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and the 2023 edition) will partner with the World RX rising star Klara Andersson.
This season, the team’s car features an updated livery to match the UrbanRebel, the ABT CUPRA GEN3 Formula E car and the CUPRA e-Racer. It’s a multi-layered, chameleonic body colour, combining a deep purple and neon yellow. The all-electric off-road racing car hints at the design language to be used in the future series production CUPRA Tavascan, the brand’s second 100% electric model, which is designed in Barcelona and will reach Europe and overseas markets in 2024.
The Extreme E series is enhancing CUPRA’s electric vehicle research while promoting electrification, sustainability, environmental awareness, and gender equality.
Xavi Serra, Head of CUPRA Racing, said: “Our second season saw us make serious progress in terms of understanding how we work best as a team. We ended the season with a run of strong results, and we’re keen to build on that. Our goals are clear: We are here to fight for the title. Adding Klara to the team provides race win experience, and I can’t wait to see both her and Nasser out competing once more.”
The Tavascan XE with the new livery will be showcased and complete show runs with Klara Andersson behind the wheel during the Race of Champions this weekend (28th and 29th January) in Pite Havsbad, Sweden. The first race weekend of the Extreme E season is scheduled for 11th and 12th March in Saudi Arabia.
This year has seen CUPRA expand its electric racing ecosystem by joining ABT to compete in Formula E. The ABT CUPRA team began its Formula E season on 14th January in Mexico City, with the next Formula E race weekend – the Saudi Race – taking place on 27th and 28th January.
