When car makers say that they want to 'redefine racing' it usually means one of two things. Either they're going to enter Formula One with all the pomp and circumstance you'd expect, only to quickly find themselves outclassed by Haas, or they're entering some deeply obscure competition (Australian Rallycross! Indonesian Off-Road Trials! Icelandic Jeep Racing!) which no one cares about and which will be quickly forgotten.
Cupra, as you might expect, is doing things a little differently when it comes to 'redefining racing'…
Differently, how?
Well, for a start, Cupra is literally (and we don't use that word lightly) trying to redefine 'racing.' As in, the word 'racing.' As in, how it appears in the online version of Oxford Languages (OL), the people behind the famed Oxford English Dictionary.
You see, the OL is regularly updated, and now includes such modern, faddish words as 'cosplay,' 'simp,' and 'spidey-sense.' However, while racing is most definitely in the dictionary, its meaning, as given by the OL, is a bit out of date.
How do you mean, out of date?
Let's let Cupra explain: “Currently, the dominant definition of 'racing' in the online version of Oxford Languages revolves around horse racing. A heritage of the past that, although respected, no longer represents what millions of people associate with speed, competition and innovation. Cupra is now ready to lead a change that goes beyond language: it wants to spark a global conversation about how words evolve at the pace of culture, technology and passion.”
So, is Cupra just going to lobby the Oxford dictionary people?
Yes, but the Spanish performance brand also wants to get you and me involved. You see, OL, and the Oxford English Dictionary, aren't going to just take one person or organisations' word for it. They monitor the way language is used and how it changes over time, so the more of us who get on board with this, the more likely it is that the definition will be changed.
So, Cupra suggests that we all create our own media on the subject: “A short video, a thoughtful article, an audiovisual piece, or a podcast. The important thing is that it resonates and brings an authentic feel to the debate.” These could all include things such as us responding to the current definition of 'racing' and how we feel it should change, for example. There's also an online petition (which you can sign here, change.org/Redefiningracing) and there's the inevitable hashtag for social media: #RedefiningRacing, and Cupra is asking that you tag @cupra_official on Instagram or TikTok if you're posting anything on the subject.
What else will be happening?
Cupra will, of course, get its brand ambassadors and the Cupra Kiro Formula E racing team in on the act, and there will be physical petition-signing drives at Formula E events.
Won't the horsey people be all upset if this works?
Well, maybe, but as Cupra puts it: “'Redefining Racing' does not seek to delegitimise horse racing. On the contrary, it recognises its historical value. But it also affirms that language must advance, and that today the mental image generated by the term 'racing' is a high-speed straight, an electric boost out of a turn, a community united by emotion, design and innovation."