Abt Cupra will not be returning to Extreme E next season.
The decision, which had been anticipated for several months, brings an end to a three-year spell in the all-electric off-road series, which yielded five podiums, including an overall victory at the 2022 Energy X Prix. The team debuted in 2021 with Mattias Ekstrom and Claudia Hurtgen, with the latter being replaced after only one round by Jutta Kleinschmidt.
Kleinschmidt returned for Season 2 alongside Nasser Al-Attiyah, but departed after getting injured during practice at the Copper X Prix in Chile. Her replacement, Klara Andersson, became the series’ youngest-ever winner when the team scored its maiden triumph in Uruguay. Andersson stayed with the team for 2023, racing alongside Al-Attiyah, 2022 Extreme E champion Sebastien Loeb, and Adrien Tambay over the course of the season.
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“We are proud to have been part of the Extreme E family for three years,” said ABT CEO Thomas Biermaier. “Our thanks go to Alejandro Agag, Ali Russell, James Taylor and their whole team for the great cooperation and the support during ABT’s first foray into off-road motorsport.
“We continue to firmly believe in the Extreme E concept of combining exciting motorsport with responsibility for the environment. In addition to trophies for victories and podium finishes, we will take home many unforgettable memories and impressions – from the glaciers in Greenland to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and the Atacama Desert in Chile.”
The decision to leave Extreme E comes as it transitions to become the first hydrogen-powered motorsport series from 2025. Cupra is part of the Volkswagen Group, which is a major player in the electric vehicle market, but as of yet hasn’t made major moves in the hydrogen space.
As such, the brand will focus its efforts on Formula E next year with Lucas di Grassi and Nico Muller, although RACER understands that motorsport partner Abt could return to Extreme E in the future in some capacity – something that was alluded to in a press release issued by the team.
“Together with our current and potential partners, we are keeping a close eye on the transition from Extreme E to Extreme H,” it read. “Who knows what the future will bring with the hydrogen era.”
Series founder and CEO Alejandro Agag also shared optimism that the team will return in future seasons.
“Although ABT will sit out the 2024 season, their passion and commitment to sustainable off-road motorsport is clear, and we are optimistic that they will return to the paddock with Extreme H,” he said. “The door is firmly open for manufacturers with a focus on hydrogen to collaborate and innovate with us as we transition to hydrogen-powered racing – a world-first – from 2025.
“The plans for the championship are developing at pace, and in the meantime, we look forward to another hugely competitive Extreme E season next year.”