Cupra Kiro scores on home soil as Pepe Martí delivers points again in Miami

CUPRA KIRO enjoyed a welcome return to the top 10 at its home race in Miami, with rookie Pepe Martí securing points for the second race in succession at the 2026 Miami E-Prix.

On a weekend shaped by changeable weather at the Miami International Autodrome, Martí produced another composed and intelligent drive in treacherous conditions to bring his CUPRA KIRO car home ninth, reinforcing his reputation as one of Formula E’s standout newcomers.

Martí showed consistent pace throughout practice and narrowly missed out on a place in the qualifying duels, lining up 13th on the grid. Team-mate Dan Ticktum, who had topped FP1 earlier in the weekend, struggled for grip in Group B qualifying and started from 18th.

Rain fell shortly before the race, forcing teams into difficult strategic calls. CUPRA KIRO elected to gamble with Ticktum’s car, setting it up with dry tyre pressures in anticipation of improving conditions. When the rain persisted, however, the Briton found himself fighting a losing battle for grip and was eventually forced to retire.

Martí, by contrast, adopted a measured approach in his first full Formula E race in wet conditions. Holding position at the start, the Spaniard settled into a strong rhythm and gradually worked his way into the top 10. With both Attack Mode activations saved for the closing stages, he was able to defend and attack decisively, securing ninth place at the chequered flag.

“It was my first time driving the car properly in the wet, and I felt comfortable very early on,” said Martí. “The team gave me a great car and that allowed me to fight for a top-10 finish. Coming into the season, my goal was to score points in half the races – so far, we’re ahead of that, which is encouraging. I’m aiming for bigger points every weekend, but I’m happy with today and excited for Jeddah.”

Ticktum was left frustrated after a weekend that had promised more. “Practice pace was strong at both power levels, but we had no grip in qualifying,” he explained. “Once the rain arrived, we knew it would be tough from the back. We gambled on the track drying, but it didn’t come off.”

Team principal Russell O’Hagan described the Miami E-Prix as a weekend of mixed fortunes. “Pepe delivered another mature drive and handled full wet conditions superbly to score points again,” he said. “For Dan, we took a calculated risk that didn’t pay off, but we’ll take the learnings and move on quickly. With a short turnaround to Jeddah, our focus is on converting what we’ve learned into stronger results.”

For CUPRA KIRO, points at home provided a timely boost and further evidence that the team’s rookie pairing is beginning to unlock consistent race-day performance. With momentum building around Martí and lessons learned from Miami, attention now turns to the Jeddah E-Prix, where the American outfit will look to take another step forward in its debut Formula E campaign.