Concept by Sergio Álvarez. Additional reporting and photos by Ester Caballero Mejías.
What’s up, folks? We’re officially rolling into the Spanish capital for Round 6, the inaugural CUPRA Raval Madrid E-Prix, and the paddock is absolutely buzzing. While the series has plenty of history testing at Ricardo Tormo, landing at the historic Circuito del Jarama for a proper race feels like a homecoming for a championship that’s finally found its rhythm in the Gen3 Evo era. It’s a permanent circuit, sure, but don’t expect the usual “autobahn” style racing; this place is a technical monster that’s going to chew through rubber and test the software limits of every garage on the grid.
Jarama is a high-speed chess board. It’s compact, it’s twisty, and it’s notoriously narrow, which usually spells “processional”—but the FIA has thrown a massive curveball by bringing Pit Boost (Attack Charge) back into the mix. Expect a re-profiled chicane on the pit straight to keep the Gen3 Evo’s 350kW (470bhp) punch from getting too unruly, but the real story is going to be energy management. The track’s elevation changes and “closely connected” corners mean the drivers won’t have a second to breathe. If you’re not pinpoint accurate with your regen, you’ll be a sitting duck when the battery starts screaming for mercy in the final five laps.
Who’s Hot: Right now, it’s hard to look past Pascal Wehrlein and the Porsche factory squad. Pascal is clinical; he’s leading the standings with 68 points and has been the master of extracting “free” performance from the Porsche 99X’s powertrain. Also, keep a massive eye on Mitch Evans. The Jaguar man was the benchmark during the November tests here, and after his win in Miami and a podium in Jeddah, he’s got that “hunting” look in his eyes again. Jaguar’s I-Type 7 is a beast in the high-traction zones, and Mitch knows exactly where to put the car to make a move stick in Jarama’s tightest sectors.
Who’s Not: It’s a bit of a “code red” over at DS Penske. Despite the raw talent of Taylor Barnard and Max Günther, they’ve struggled to turn qualifying pace into Sunday silverware, sitting down in 9th in the Teams’ standings. They need a result here to stop the rot. Similarly, the Lola Yamaha project is still very much in its “learning year.” Lucas di Grassi is a wizard, but the package just isn’t there yet to fight for anything more than the odd point. If they don’t find a setup window in the Friday shakedown, it’s going to be a very long afternoon in the Madrid sun.
Strategy-wise, the Pit Boost adds a layer of “jeopardy” we haven’t seen in a while. Timing that 30-second mandatory stop to grab a 10% energy injection will be the difference between a podium and a P12 finish. We’re hearing whispers that a few teams might try the “undercut” early to get clean air and utilize that extra juice to burn a gap, but Jarama doesn’t forgive track position lightly. If you get stuck in a DRS-style train after your stop, you’re basically toast.
The atmosphere is going to be electric—literally. Word is the grandstands are sold out, and with local hero Pepe Martí suiting up for Cupra Kiro, the “viva España” vibes will be off the charts. It’s going to be a high-stakes game of software maps and brave late-braking maneuvers into Turn 1. I’ll be roaming the pit lane to see who’s sweating the most under the Spanish sun.
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