Pepe Martí charges from the back to score first Formula E points for Cupra Kiro in Mexico City

CUPRA KIRO left the 2026 Mexico City E-Prix with its first points of the season – and a milestone moment for rookie Pepe Martí, who claimed the first points of his Formula E career with a remarkable drive from the back of the grid.

Watched on by team co-owner Idris Elba, Martí’s seventh-place finish was all the more impressive given the adversity he faced across the weekend. Grid penalties carried over from São Paulo, compounded by an inverter, MGU and gearbox change in FP2, meant the Spaniard started 20th and had to serve a 10-second stop-go penalty early in the race.

Team-mate Dan Ticktum showed strong one-lap pace in qualifying, advancing to the duel stages for the second time in as many races and lining up sixth on the grid. In the race, Ticktum used his first Attack Mode to surge into the top three and ran consistently inside the top 10 before his progress was abruptly ended on lap 25, sustaining damage while taking evasive action during a multi-car incident.

For Martí, the race quickly became an exercise in patience and precision. After serving his stop-go penalty at the end of lap one, he focused on aggressive energy saving during the opening phase. That approach paid dividends when the Safety Car was deployed on lap 20, allowing the CUPRA KIRO driver to close back onto the rear of the field with an energy advantage and both Attack Mode activations still in hand.

What followed was one of the standout recovery drives of the weekend. Using Attack Mode decisively, Martí picked his way through the pack to climb into the points, eventually taking the chequered flag in seventh – a result that not only secured his first Formula E points, but also got CUPRA KIRO’s 2025/26 campaign properly up and running.

Reflecting on the result, Martí said: “I’m obviously very happy with the end result today. Finishing seventh after starting from the very back with a 10-second stop-go penalty, you can’t really ask for any more. There are things I could have done better in the car, but overall we can be very proud. Getting my first points in Formula E here in Mexico is a great feeling, and I’m really excited for our home race in Miami.”

Ticktum was left frustrated by another points-less finish despite his speed. “It’s been a tough end to the weekend,” he said. “We struggled in practice, made some changes and the car was quick straight away in qualifying. Starting sixth was a good result, but the race was carnage and I ended up paying the price for someone else’s mistake again. To be second and sixth in qualifying across the first two races with no points doesn’t reflect our pace – hopefully our luck turns around in Miami.”

Team principal Russell O’Hagan hailed Martí’s drive as a breakthrough moment for the team. “It’s been a challenging weekend, but scoring our first points of the season is a big boost,” he said. “Dan deserved much more once again, but Pepe’s race was a landmark moment. He dealt with setbacks, penalties and missed track time incredibly well and executed a superb race. A huge thank you goes to the whole team and our powertrain partner Porsche for the effort that went into delivering a new car for Pepe. Getting points on the board gives us real momentum heading into our home race in Miami.”

For CUPRA KIRO, Mexico City may have been a weekend of contrasting fortunes, but Martí’s breakthrough performance offered a clear statement of intent – and a reminder that, in Formula E, strategy and composure can turn even the toughest starts into career-defining results.