On October 10, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) released a short but fascinating press release: Cupra had officially been approved as the 19th automotive manufacturer to compete in one of the sanctioning body’s series. In 2025, the nameplate will enter the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge using its Leon VZ TCR model. Cupra’s debut is expected at the season-opening Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 17-19.
This news isn’t just a big deal for U.S. sports car racing fans. In March 2024, Cupra announced it would be entering the North American consumer vehicle market by the end of the decade. Racing in IMSA—the top sports car sanctioning body on the continent, which operates the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series—allows Cupra to get exposure to U.S. audiences several years before its vehicles are available at dealers.
Although some people reacted to Cupra’s entry with excitement, I’m guessing the average American who saw the news gave a collective “Huh?” After all, someone who has likely never even heard of Cupra will have a hard time understanding why it’s a big deal. That’s what I’m here to solve today. By giving you the scoop on Cupra, the Michelin Pilot Challenge, and the vehicle Cupra will be racing, I’ll show you why this IMSA entry matters to racing fans and people who will soon be looking for a new street vehicle.
What Is Cupra?
The first order is unpacking the Cupra name. Although the nameplate may be unfamiliar on North American shores, its parent company is instantly recognizable. Cupra is part of SEAT Cupra S.A.U., which operates as an independent branch of Spanish automaker SEAT S.A. In turn, SEAT is owned by the Volkswagen Group, which bought a controlling stake in 1986 and took 100% ownership in 1990.
From the beginning, Cupra has had one mission: going fast. Cupra evolved from the SEAT Special Vehicles Department, which was created in 1971 to support rally racing efforts. After winning 11 rally championships from 1979-1983, the division rebranded in 1985 as SEAT Sport with a more all-encompassing motorsports focus. The Cupra badge first appeared in 1996 on the SEAT Ibiza GTI Cupra Sport, a street vehicle celebrating the Ibiza race car’s first FIA World Rally Cup Championship and the Ibiza street car’s status as the best-selling high-performance car in Spain. The word “Cupra” was a portmanteau of “cup” and “racing.”
The success continued in the 20th century with back-to-back FIA World Touring Car (WTC) titles in 2008 and 2009. Along the way, the Ibiza Cupra became more synonymous with the division. This crested in 2018 when SEAT officially spun off Cupra as a high-performance subsidiary and renamed SEAT Sport as Cupra Racing. The success hasn’t stopped with the name change. Cupra won the inaugural FIA eTouring Car World Cup in 2021. It has also joined forces with Abt Sportsline to field vehicles in Extreme E (all-electric SUV off-roading) and Formula E (electric open-wheel racing). This connects well to Cupra’s stated goal of bringing gasoline, electric, and plug-in hybrid models to the U.S.
What Is the Michelin Pilot Challenge?
Next, I want to look at the series Cupra is entering. Like other auto racing sanctioning bodies, IMSA presides over several series—eight to be exact. Drivers and teams can progress from series to series or join near the top. (At my local short track, they call this the “ladder system”). The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge is the second-highest rung on the IMSA series ladder, trailing only the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The origins of the Michelin Pilot Challenge can be traced to 1997 when it began as the SCCA Motorola Cup in Canada. Grand-Am then operated the series under a variety of names from 2001 until 2014, when it merged with IMSA (as a side note, IMSA is owned by NASCAR). Today, the Michelin Pilot Challenge runs as a support series for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2025 schedule consists of 11 events at some of the most famous venues in North America, including Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Watkins Glen International.
As part of the Challenge format, the rear-wheel drive Grand Sport (GS) and front-wheel drive Touring Car (TCR) classes typically compete simultaneously with overall and class awards, although split-class races are sometimes held—particularly at smaller tracks. Races are two hours long, and at least one driver change is required during the event. Matt Plumb won the 2024 GS driver’s championship for Aston Martin, while Chris Miller took the 2024 TCR title for Audi. Cupra will be joining the TCR class alongside Alfa Romeo, Audi, Honda, and Hyundai.
The Significance of Cupra Racing in IMSA
To the uninitiated, joining the racing ranks might seem like an odd way to introduce a vehicle to a new continent. In reality, though, it makes a ton of sense. Cupra has more than 50 years of racing infrastructure in place, allowing it to quickly get a team ready for the IMSA circuit. This will let it start building brand equity among its future target audience: American high-performance driving enthusiasts.
IMSA also has a growing fanbase. Although Michelin Pilot Challenge-specific data is hard to come by, the sanctioning body reports in-person attendance and merchandise sales at the Rolex 24 at Daytona set new records in 2024, and the event was seen by four million unique viewers across all broadcasting platforms. Furthermore, in-person Daytona attendance has doubled since 2018. The 2024 Road America event also set an in-person record, with attendance up by 10% over the previous year.
In short, IMSA is a rising tide, and Cupra is banking on that tide lifting its boat for its forthcoming North American market entry. Michelin Pilot Challenge tracks span from Ontario to Florida and New York to California, meaning the Cupra will be introduced to a full cross-section of potential new fans. Interestingly, since the Volkswagen Group also owns Audi, Cupra will have a built-in sibling rivalry in the TCR class (VW also owns Porsche on the GS side, giving it three nameplates in the Michelin Pilot Challenge).
The Cupra Leon VZ TCR
Last but certainly not least, it’s time for a glance at the vehicle Cupra chose for its maiden U.S. racing voyage. Named after the vehicle that secured those WTC championships, the Cupra Leon VZ TCR is a purpose-built race car. The aerodynamic body, all-new front suspension and driveline, improved front axle, and six-piston front brake calipers seem perfect for the tough Michelin Pilot Challenge circuits. It’s powered by a transverse turbo-four with 340 hp. Not surprisingly, this vehicle starts at 149,000 Euros, making it a car for serious speedsters.
While the Leon VZ TCR is reserved for race car drivers with deep pockets, it is based on a much more affordable street legal model known as the Leon VZ. This compact four-door hatchback is available with either a hybrid powertrain that produces 272 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque or a gasoline engine delivering 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Both models are equipped with a quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission. If drivers on U.S. soil can eventually get their hands on this vehicle, you’d better believe I’ll be drooling over it.
Here Comes Cupra
Rather than relying on word of mouth or an underground ad campaign to build anticipation for its consumer cars, Cupra is going with pure adrenaline. As I write this, the Leon VZ TCR is mere weeks away from hitting the Daytona high banks and hoping to introduce itself at top speed. You’d better believe I’ll be keeping track of how Cupra fares—and come the end of the decade, we’ll see the results for this modern version of the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” automotive philosophy.
