After spending a year away from a full-time seat in Formula E, Jake Hughes returns to the grid with CUPRA KIRO for Season 13. Eager to make the most of this opportunity, he is ready to embrace a new chapter with the team and pursue his ambitions in the all-electric championship.
An Unwelcome Interruption
Jake Hughes has made no secret of how much he has missed Formula E. For the British driver, his year away from a full-time seat was an unwelcome interruption to a career that had been steadily gaining momentum.
“My career was building very nicely, and to have that kind of put on hold for one year was not nice,” Hughes explained.
Having spent several seasons competing in the all-electric championship, watching from the sidelines was far from easy.
“I don’t intend to ever have that year away again,” he said. “To kind of get back on the train, so to speak, at the first possible time of asking has been very welcome.”
His return to the grid, therefore, represents a welcome opportunity to get back to business. The new season offers a fresh start, allowing Hughes to return to a championship he believes is on the verge of an exciting new era.
The Long-Awaited Reunion
Hughes’s relationship with the team began last season, when he completed a shakedown for them. At the time, he was hopeful that the opportunity would develop into a full-time racing seat. Ultimately, the team chose a different direction, but Hughes remained confident that their paths would cross again.
“I was kind of hopeful that would develop into the racing last year, but it didn’t, and that’s absolutely fine because that’s professional sport,” he explained.
Hughes also recalled a conversation with Team Principal Russell O’Hagan that helped reinforce his belief that he would eventually race for the team.
“I always kind of had the feeling or the kind of hope that I would race for this team in the future,” he said.
“When we were doing this one year ago, I said, don’t worry, I still believe I’ll race for you one day.”
With the agreement finally signed, Hughes reminded O’Hagan of their earlier conversation, and the two shared a laugh at how things had ultimately worked out.
Hughes praised the team’s established working methods and the ease with which he had integrated into its environment. He also highlighted the potential of its partnership with Porsche’s powertrain, viewing the opportunity as an ideal platform to showcase his abilities.
For Hughes, the move represents a chance to “showcase my talents” and prove that he can compete at the highest level.
A Year Away
Although competing in other motorsport series kept Hughes sharp, the experience also reinforced just how much Formula E meant to him.
His time away, however, was not without its benefits. Competing in endurance racing allowed him to work alongside some of the sport’s leading drivers and adapt to unfamiliar cars and new challenges.
“I think experiencing other things is always good as a racing driver. It keeps you sharp. It keeps your brain working. It stops you becoming stagnant or even lazy in terms of your work ethics,” he said.
Following successful outings in endurance racing, Hughes returns to Formula E with renewed confidence in his abilities. The experience has strengthened his belief that he can adapt quickly to new machinery and environments.
“That’s added confidence internally to me to know that I can jump onto something new again and be very fast and achieve success and race wins like we’ve had done in the sports car picture.”
That confidence is accompanied by a clear sense of personal ambition. Hughes admits that one of his main goals this season is to prove to himself that he can fulfil his potential.
“I want to prove to myself that I can achieve what I know I can achieve, which is race wins and championships in the future. And I think I’ve chosen the best possible place to be in Europe for that.”
GEN4: A Fresh Start
Hughes first entered Formula E during the transition to the GEN3 era, giving him firsthand experience of the challenges and opportunities that accompany a major technological shift. With the introduction of GEN4, he sees parallels between that period and the new chapter now unfolding in the championship.
For Hughes, unlocking the car’s performance will depend on understanding several key factors, particularly the tyres and the revised race format.
“I think the fact that we’re obviously going into this new era with a new tyre as well, Bridgestone, will provide its own challenges,” he said. “As well, getting used to the new race format, with the Unleashed race, and how generally the racing may migrate compared to what we had in GEN3 will be a key topic.”
He believes the teams that adapt most effectively will gain an early advantage. Flexibility and a willingness to reassess established approaches will therefore be essential.
“What we knew before will in some ways still be useful, but we’ll also have to accept that we’re starting from scratch,” he said.
From Hughes’s perspective, close collaboration between the driver and performance engineer will be particularly important, especially when understanding the behaviour of the car’s active differentials and their effect on performance.
The timing of his return could hardly be better. With a new generation of machinery arriving, Hughes has an opportunity to help shape the team’s approach to the latest Formula E technology from the outset.
Consistency Is Key
Hughes’s mindset is clear: winning must remain the ultimate goal. However, he also recognises the importance of consistency, believing it could prove decisive in determining which teams make the most of the GEN4 era.
“I think consistency is going to be quite a key word for us this season,” he said.
Although CUPRA KIRO has enjoyed success in previous seasons, translating its potential into consistent on-track performance will be crucial as the championship enters a new phase.
When asked whether he felt under pressure to replicate the team’s previous successes, Hughes dismissed the idea that external expectations were his main concern. The pressure he places on himself, he explained, is already substantial.
“If there wasn’t pressure, you wouldn’t be doing something worth doing,” he said. “So it makes you feel alive in that sense.”
Rather than viewing pressure as a burden, Hughes sees it as a source of motivation. It gives him the drive to push himself further while contributing to a team that has already demonstrated its potential and is determined to achieve more.
As Formula E enters the GEN4 era, Hughes has an opportunity to make his return count. After spending a season away from the full-time grid, he is back where he wants to be, with his sights firmly set on race wins, championships and a long-term future in the series.
