How did that happen? Pepe Marti from 18th to podium in Sanya E-Prix

Marti delivers his best Formula E result in Sanya

Pepe Marti’s rookie Formula E season took another sharp upward turn at the 2026 Lianxin Sanya E-Prix, where the CUPRA KIRO driver surged from 18th on the grid to claim the best result of his all-electric career.

Marti initially crossed the line third at the Haitang Bay circuit, securing what appeared to be his second consecutive Formula E podium. That became second place after Andretti’s Felipe Drugovich was given a five-second penalty for contact with Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, promoting Marti behind Jake Dennis and leaving Nyck de Vries to inherit third.

For a driver whose season has already swung dramatically, this was a result built on patience, energy management and a sharp response to race disruption. For more on the wider shape of the campaign, see our look at the eight winners of the 2025/26 Formula E season.

From damage to recovery drive

Marti made early progress by passing Taylor Barnard and Norman Nato before settling into an energy-saving phase. His first ATTACK MODE helped move him closer to the top 10, but the race appeared to turn against him when a multi-car incident caused significant rear-end damage and triggered a Red Flag on Lap 11.

Restarting 19th, Marti and CUPRA KIRO regrouped. Crucially, he had more usable energy than several rivals, giving him the platform to attack through the field. A late Full Course Yellow then played into his hands after his engineer timed his final ATTACK MODE effectively, allowing him to hold position and secure silverware.

“I’m very happy with our performance,” Marti said. “To get a podium after starting from 18th on the grid was unexpected, but the race played out really well.”

He added that Andretti’s strategy unexpectedly helped him, as the pace at the front allowed him to save more energy and move forward.

Momentum builds after Monaco breakthrough

Sanya followed Marti’s maiden Formula E podium in Monaco, where he became the first Spaniard to achieve that feat in the series. There, too, timing and recovery were central: he started 15th, climbed through the order, and was promoted to third after teammate Dan Ticktum received a penalty for contact with Mitch Evans.

Marti credited CUPRA KIRO’s execution in Sanya, particularly after the damage scare. “Motorsport is a place where I can’t do the job without my mechanics,” he said. “They can’t do the job without engineers. It’s a team’s job.”

The result added 18 championship points, leaving Marti just one point behind Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries in 10th. Next up is Shanghai, with Rounds 12 and 13 set to intensify the fight.