Jake Hughes will return to the FIA Formula E World Championship with CUPRA KIRO for the 2026/27 season, partnering Pepe Martí as the American squad prepares for the beginning of the GEN4 era.
The British driver returns to a full-time Formula E seat after spending the 2025/26 campaign in a Reserve Driver role. Hughes previously completed three seasons in the championship with McLaren and Maserati MSG Racing, establishing a reputation as one of Formula E’s strongest qualifiers and scoring two podium finishes.
His arrival completes CUPRA KIRO’s driver line-up after the team extended its relationship with Martí. The pair will lead the squad into a significant technical transition as Formula E introduces its new GEN4 car for the 2026/27 campaign.
Hughes returns with CUPRA KIRO in 2026/2027 after year away from full-time Formula E competition
Hughes made his Formula E debut with McLaren during the 2022/23 season and quickly demonstrated his one-lap pace. He secured his first pole position in only his third race before adding another on the streets of Monaco later in his rookie campaign.
The Briton added two more poles during his second season and claimed his maiden Formula E podium at the 2024 Shanghai E-Prix. He moved to Maserati MSG Racing for 2024/25, where he added a second career podium in Jeddah before stepping away from a full-time race seat the following year.
During 2025/26, Hughes remained involved in Formula E as a Reserve Driver while also competing in the European Le Mans Series. His LMP2 programme included victory at the 4 Hours of Silverstone, giving him additional experience in endurance racing while he remained connected to single-seater competition.
Hughes also brings considerable development experience from Formula 1. He spent three seasons in Test and Simulator roles, most recently working with McLaren across 2025 and 2026. CUPRA KIRO hopes that background will prove particularly valuable as the championship begins working with a completely new generation of machinery.
Hughes excited by CUPRA KIRO opportunity for 2026/2027 Formula E season
Hughes expressed his enthusiasm about returning to Formula E and joining a team entering a new phase of its development.
“I’m over the moon to be joining CUPRA KIRO. It feels like it’s been a long time coming. The team has built the foundations of something very special and hopefully, we can kick on and bring even more success.”
The introduction of GEN4 will add another layer to Hughes’ return. Formula E’s new car will feature 600kW of power, active all-wheel drive and up to 700kW of regenerative braking, representing the largest performance step in the championship’s history.
Hughes believes those characteristics could suit his driving style as he prepares to return to competition.
“It’s very exciting to be heading into a new era with the arrival of GEN4 – we’ll have fast cars and a lot of technology which I think will suit my driving style really well. I’m looking forward to Pre-Season Testing, getting in the car, and getting to work. Hopefully we can win some races!”
O’Hagan highlights Hughes’ pace and development experience
CUPRA KIRO Team Principal Russell O’Hagan believes Hughes offers the combination of outright speed and technical understanding that the team needs as it adapts to GEN4.
“We’re very excited to welcome Jake to CUPRA KIRO for the coming season. He brings a wealth of Formula E experience, but also a very valuable background in car development having worked closely with some of the leading teams in both Formula E and Formula 1.”
Hughes’ qualifying record also played an important role in the team’s decision. Across his previous Formula E campaigns, his ability to extract performance over a single lap became one of his defining strengths.
“Jake’s one-lap pace has always been a real strength of his, and he has an instinctive feel for extracting performance from a car. With the arrival of GEN4, having a driver who can contribute both on track and through the development process will be invaluable, and from what we’ve seen so far, the characteristics of the GEN4 should suit Jake’s intuitive driving style very well.”
A different dynamic for the new era
O’Hagan also pointed to the balance between Hughes and Martí. Unlike previous seasons, CUPRA KIRO will begin the campaign without a rookie in its line-up, giving the team two drivers with prior experience at Formula E level.
“Having Jake alongside Pepe also gives us a different dynamic to previous seasons, marking our first season as Kiro Race Co without a rookie driver.”
Hughes has also already worked with the operation during previous pre-season preparations, allowing him to begin the new programme with some familiarity.
“Having conducted some pre-season work with us last year, Jake already knows the team well and is settling in quickly. We’ve been working incredibly hard the last few months on everything GEN4, and now, we’re looking forward to getting Jake in the car, hitting the track, and seeing what we can achieve together.”
CUPRA KIRO prepares for first GEN4 campaign
Hughes and Martí will begin preparations for the new season during Pre-Season Testing at the Circuito del Jarama in Madrid from 16–20 November.
The test will give teams their first major opportunity to work through the demands of GEN4 before the 2026/27 Formula E season begins on 18–19 December.
For Hughes, the programme marks both a return to full-time Formula E competition and an opportunity to establish himself within a team beginning a significant new chapter. CUPRA KIRO will meanwhile look to use his qualifying strength, championship experience and development background alongside Martí as it attempts to capitalise on the clean slate presented by GEN4.
