Jordi Gené says it’s “impossible” to compare ETCR and TCR cars

Jordi Gené has been the designated development driver for the Cupra E-Racer from the word go. The Spaniard, who also races with the Cupra León Competición TCR in the FIA WTCR and has been part in development of both cars, thinks there is no point in comparing the two due to the huge differences.

“They are so different it’s impossible to compare them,” said the Spaniard to TouringCarTimes.

“Basically the differences you feel are the weight, which is much bigger in ETCR, and the tyres, which are grooved. This makes the reactions of the cars so different, especially under braking. The braking zones are longer and if you make a small mistake it is a lot more costly, because it struggles to recover the grip, which makes it more difficult to drive.

“On the other hand there is a lot of power, so it’s difficult but also more challenging. The ICE-equipped cars feel much easier, they are quicker through the corners and easier to manage than a rear-wheel-driven car, so they are easier to take to the limit.”

The Spaniard believes that using slick tyres would make the driving easier due to the huge forces involved in electric car racing:

“Of course having slicks would make the car more stable. An electric car puts an immense amount of energy though the tyres, there’s a lot of torque, a lot of power and a lot of weight, so they are always under stress. Then we also use grooved tyres, so they obviously struggle more and they are always on the limit. It is part of the challenge of driving these cars though!”

While there are these drawbacks, the sheer brutal power of the 500kW configuration makes driving very enjoyable:

“When it accelerates it is so brutal, and it never stops. Also the rear-wheel-drive driving style is a lot of fun, because you steer with the steering wheel but also with the throttle, so it makes it a lot of fun. The driver also needs to manage the battery, the power boost, the temperatures, and you have to communicate a lot with the car, because it definitely enhances your performances. You also have to think ahead and have a clear vision of the whole race in your mind.”

In fact, Gené believes it is not just about taking the car to the limit, but also learning how and where to save it, so that it will have better performances later in the race:

“It’s not only about the driving, you need to think while you drive. Despite the short races, you have to take decisions all the time. We also have different mappings of traction control, and you always have to balance out wether you want it to be quick at that very moment or you want to save the tyres for later in the race. You also talk on the radio a lot, so you have information about the others’ use of the extra power.”

Comparing the feeling of driving TCR cars and the ETCR Cupra is pointless according to the Spaniard, as both are fun for different reasons:

“I haven’t raced in five years and now I race everything! Honestly there is a lot of fun in both types of racing, I really enjoyed the last few days. Honestly, if you love racing you have fun in rental go-karts as well. Obviously with a petrol engine you have more noise and vibrations, but it’s also slower. If you like racing cars I don’t think you enjoy one more than the other, they are both very fun.”