CUPRA EKS on April 19 announced the collaboration of professional racing drivers Tom Blomqvist and Adrien Tambay with Mattias Ekström and Jordi Gené for the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup.
Blomqvist is the son of the 1984 World Rally champion, Stig Blomqvist, and earned the title of youngest driver ever to clinch the 2010 Formula Renault UK title at 16 years old. Since then, he has raced in Formula 3, DTM Formula E, and the endurance series. He won the 2018 24 Hours of Spa and the 2022 Daytona 24 Hours, according to a TCR-Series press release.
“I’m very motivated,” Blomqvist said in the press release. “I believe this is going to be a massive experience for me, as the FIA ETCR championship is a step forward in electric racing. I’m proud to have joined CUPRA EKS for this adventure. We are really determined, and the goal is to win.”
Also following in his father's tracks is Tambay, who has taken part in the Formula 3 Euroseries, Auto GP, GP3, and DTM.
“Last year, the team made history,” Tambay said in the press release. “This year, the challenge is to go for the FIA ETCR championship, and I am here to help achieving this objective. My passion for racing has no limits, and sharing this passion with such a great team will inspire me to perform my best on the track.”
Xavi Serra, CUPRA Racing head of technical development, looks forward to seeing the quad on the track.
“To bring drivers of the caliber of Tom Blomqvist and Adrien Tambay into the all-electric series is something very special, and we are sure they will adapt well and score very good result[s] – whilst in Mattias Ekström and Jordi Gené we have the experience, race-winning skill, and continuity that every team dreams of having,” Serra said in the press release.
The ETCR’s website said their event is “the world’s first all-electric, multi-brand, touring car series and gives the world’s largest and most-recognizable brands the chance to fight for an official electric Manufacturers’ title.”
The racing format includes short, sharp battles where drivers build up points that will go toward the DHL SuperFinals, according to the ETCR. Divided into Pool Fast and Pool Furious, the drivers compete in knockout races where every tenth of a second counts, the website said. Winning a battle advances racers to the next round, with the top scorer of the weekend winning the Event King or Queen title.
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race results from April 10, according to a press release from Acura, are: 4th overall – #60, Tom Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis Meyer Shank, racing Acura ARX-05 DPi; 6th overall – #10, Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque Wayne Taylor, racing Acura ARX-05 DPi; 2nd GTD – #66, Marc Miller and Mario Farnbacher, gradient racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22; and 8th GTD – #51, Aidan Read and Ryan Eversely, Rick Ware racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22.
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