This Saturday’s race will be only the sixth event of the Formula E season, but it already marks a decisive moment for Pepe Martí (Barcelona, 20 years old) in his first year in the electric championship. The Cupra Kiro driver competes in Madrid, in front of his home fans, and while he won’t make any promises, he aims to carry forward the strong form that has earned him points in three of the previous five races, placing him 11th in the standings.
The Catalan spoke with AS at the Cupra City Garage Madrid ahead of his maiden competition at Jarama.
—We’re just at the start of the championship, and here comes one of the moments you’ve been most looking forward to: racing at home. How are you approaching it? Nervous? Under pressure?
—Definitely, it’s the most anticipated moment of the season. Racing at home is always special, and it’s my first time competing in Madrid. I’ve only practiced once at Jarama in Formula 4, but I’ve never raced here. When I moved from F2 to Formula E, I thought I’d miss a race in Madrid (the one at Madring), but in the end that wasn’t the case. I still have a home race, and that’s very special.
—With Cupra as the only Spanish team and sponsor of the E-Prix, and you as the only Spanish driver on the grid, all eyes will be on you. How do you block that out?
—Honestly, I see it in a simpler way, or I try to dilute it a bit. At the end of the day, there are 25 points up for grabs for the winner, just like in Miami, Brazil, or anywhere else. It’s another race. Being at home is an extra boost, if only because of the diet and being in a country where people speak your language (laughs). It’s an honor to race in the capital, and I hope things go well.
—What can you promise the fans? You’re coming off your best result (6th) in Jeddah…
—On a personal level, it’s hard to promise anything, although obviously I’d like to build on where we come from. We were 7th in Mexico, 9th in Miami, but then we struggled in the first Jeddah race. What the team and I need to do is consolidate those good results and the points we’re scoring race after race. Hopefully Jarama won’t be an exception, and we can fight for a Top-6 or Top-7, score solid points, and if things go even better, aim for a bit more.
—Do you think Jarama is a good track for FE and that we’ll see a great race? There might even be rain…
—Especially on Friday, it looks like there will be rain, which will make things a bit harder for everyone. Saturday is not expected to be wet, so we’ll particularly lose those first free practice sessions, but I think it’s a circuit that can be very fun. After the experience the teams had with three days of testing (in 2024), the cars will run well. It’s a track we’ll enjoy, and the new final chicane will be great — it’s going to be a good overtaking zone. A great race and plenty of spectacle await us.
—17 points and 11th in the standings against Ticktum’s 10; three out of five races in the points; one of the quickest rookies to score… How much do you pay attention to those numbers?
—Very little… I scored in my second race, but in the first one, what happened happened (he had a heavy crash in São Paulo). There are good things, but also bad ones; I haven’t yet made it to the duels in qualifying. I can focus on the positive and be very happy, but I also have to be realistic and see that there are areas where we still lack a bit. I prefer to focus on what needs improving
