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Pepe Martí makes his mark in Monaco

FEATURE 20 May 2026 3 Mins

Pepe Marti delivered the standout performance of his Formula E career so far at the Monaco E-Prix.

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feature josep maria marti season 12

The CUPRA KIRO rookie secured a maiden podium finish after an impressive charge from 15th on the grid to third place (following a penalty for teammate Dan Ticktum).

Although much of the attention across the weekend initially centred on Ticktum and his pole position, it was Marti’s composed and strategic drive through the field that ultimately became one of the defining stories of Round 9. In doing so, he also became the first Spaniard to take home Formula E silverware.

RACE HIGHLIGHTS: 2026 Monaco E-Prix, Round 9

The result marked an important milestone not only for Marti personally, but also for the American team, whose progress throughout the season has been carried by consistent top ten finishes. The team currently sits eight in the team standings, in spite of six DNFs that have halted their prospects in the standings.

The principality has long held special significance in Martí’s career. In 2023, he claimed victory around the fabled streets in FIA Formula 3, establishing Monaco as one of his strongest venues in junior single-seaters. However, his more recent experiences at the circuit had been far less encouraging, aross the following two FIA Formula 2 seasons, Marti endured three retirements and managed only a single 14th-place finish around the streets of the Principality.

This year, however, the circumstances were entirely different. From the opening laps, Marti demonstrated strong pace and race management, climbing from 15th to 12th before an early Safety Car intervention on Lap four. A decisive strategic call from CUPRA KIRO saw Martí extend his first stint until Lap 20, allowing him to rejoin the race in seventh position with stronger pace than many of his direct rivals.

HANKOOK DEBRIEF: Five things we learned in Monaco

Marti initially crossed the line in fourth, but was later promoted to third after Ticktum received a penalty for contact with Antonio Felix da Costa during the closing laps. The penalty also altered the fight for victory, allowing Nyck de Vries to secure his first Formula E win since Berlin 2022 and Mahindra’s first in the GEN3 era.

“Today is my first podium in Formula E and I’m very happy with the result," Marti said. "But it hurts to know that Dan missed out on the top three after the incident.

“All in all, taking my first podium in the series feels good, and there’s no better place to do it than in Monaco. With Dan starting from pole and me moving up from 15th to third today, the car has been on fire so far this weekend.”

Despite his Sunday race ending in retirement following a contact with Nick Cassidy at Rascasse, the overall trajectory of Marti’s rookie season remains highly encouraging. With the Monaco podium, he has now scored points in six of the opening nine races of the season.

RACE HIGHLIGHTS: 2026 Monaco E-Prix, Round 10

For Team Principal, Russell O’Hagan, the result was confirmation of the progress he and the team made since the beginning of Season 12.

O’Hagan added, “Fighting from 15th to the podium in Monaco takes composure, intelligence, and confidence and since joining the team, he’s shown all three in abundance. It always felt like a matter of not if, but when, he would finish on the podium and to do it here in Monaco is a fantastic achievement.

“Ever since last season, Monaco has felt like a special circuit for us because it was the first place where we truly showed our potential as a team, so there was a lot of anticipation coming into the weekend.”

“For Pepe, today represents a very special moment," he continued. And although inheriting a podium because of a penalty is never the ideal way to experience it, the reality is that he absolutely earned his place in the top three.

“Pepe has responded to every challenge so far this season, and I’m confident he’ll bounce back in Sanya.”