Abt Cupra to part ways with Mahindra in Formula E
Abt Cupra will split from powertrain partner Mahindra at the end of the current ABB Formula E season, the team confirmed ahead of the season-opening Mexico City E-Prix, its 100th race in the series.
The team, which won 14 races, the drivers’ championship with Lucas di Grassi in Season 3 and the teams’ championship the following year, aligned with the Indian brand after making a late decision to return to the series ahead of last season after a year out. The partnership hasn’t been fruitful, however, with the team failing to register a podium for the first time in its history last season.
“We had deep conversations with [Mahindra team principal] Fred Bertrand in the last weeks and months and there were always open discussions, frank discussions and we decided in the end that we wanted to terminate our contract,” Thomas Biermaier, Abt Cupra CEO and team principal, told RACER.
Biermaier expects a replacement supplier to be secured soon, saying, “We’re in negotiations. We have options — we have priorities clearly and now we’re working on it. Hopefully in February or the beginning of March we’ll have solutions and then we can tell you something.”
Prior to aligning with Cupra, Abt was a long-time partner of another Volkswagen brand, Audi. The Volkswagen Group continues to be represented in Formula E by Porsche, and when asked why the team didn’t go down the seemingly obvious route of inking a supply deal with Porsche, Biermaier said that the team’s late decision to return last season played a part.
Prior to aligning with Cupra, Abt was a long-time partner of another Volkswagen brand, Audi. The Volkswagen Group continues to be represented in Formula E by Porsche, and when asked why the team didn’t go down the seemingly obvious route of inking a supply deal with Porsche, Biermaier said that the team’s late decision to return last season played a part.
“It was not so easy because before Season 9 it was quite a late decision from us to come back to Formula E so there was no opportunity, and now Cupra also decided quite late that they will partner with us,” he said. “Now we’re looking together with Cupra to find a good solution for Season 11.”
Biermaier did, however, rule out Cupra itself — a major player in the EV market in Europe — supplying a powertrain in the short-term.
“For this the time is too late and too short for Season 11, so we will stay as a customer,” he said. “The door’s open in the future but currently we have different priorities. First of all, we want to have a good start this season to have good motivation for the team for the next races, then if we have time in February, we will think about Season 11 a little bit.”
For more information: www.racer.com
