Formula E: interview with Xavi Serra on the new Cupra Kiro season

Catalan engineer with a past in the world of touring racing and today head of the department Cupra Racing, Xavi Serra he is one of the clearest minds in electric motorsport. After leading the team Seat to the world title in the WTCC and triumphed with Cupra in the WTCR, Serra has embraced the electric revolution with conviction. Today his mission is clear: to bring the Spanish brand to the top of the world championship Formula Ewith the same determination that has made Cupra a point of reference for style and innovation. While on the road it prepares for a 2026 full of innovations with the launch of the Raval, the new electric city car that promises to combine performance and accessibility, the brand’s commitment to the world of competition continues to represent the maximum expression of its sporting DNA. Of the new season of Cupra Kiro in Formula E we talked about it with Serra.

Xavi, a new driver like Pepe Martí joins the team after a traditional career between Formula 4, F3 and F2. How difficult is it for a driver to switch to electric racing?
“The difference, in reality, isn’t huge. An electric single-seater still has four wheels, a steering wheel and tires that heat up. Braking is different, of course, because it’s electric, but you get used to it quickly. The real challenge is energy management: in the race you have to recover up to 40% of what you consume, while fighting with your opponents. It’s something that no driver had ever done before. It takes a lot of preparation, simulation and team work to become competitive.”

If you could take a Cupra road model out on track for a quick lap, which one would you choose?
“Without a doubt the Cupra Born VZ. It’s fun, fast and very balanced. It has everything to excite even on a real circuit.”

We often talk about how motorsport influences road mobility. But does the opposite also happen? From the street to the track?
​”​In general, no. Motorsport is ahead because it has different objectives: we want to make the most of the battery, not worry about its life or warranty. The priority is performance. Of course, we also transfer some robust technology, born on series cars, to racing, but the main direction remains one: from the track to the road.”

Sustainability is now central also in motorsport. How much of what you experience in racing is applicable to everyday mobility?
“A lot. I myself drive a Cupra Tavascan, which has three levels of energy recovery that can be managed with the paddles on the steering wheel. In the city it’s almost a game to seek maximum efficiency, but it’s also a concrete way to save energy. The same goes for logistics: today we work a lot on simulation, reducing track tests, tyres, brakes and transport. It’s an approach less is more which also applies to real mobility.”

Can Formula 1 learn something from Formula E?
​”They are two different worlds, but yes, there is something to learn. Formula 1 focuses on power and extreme performance. Formula E, on the other hand, is all about efficiency. An internal combustion engine reaches a maximum efficiency of 40%. An electric one exceeds 90%. Two laps of a Formula 1 car are equivalent to an entire Formula E race in terms of energy consumption. It’s a different philosophy, but still fascinating.”