First Electric GT championship Tesla hits the track in Spain

If you've been wondering what a Tesla Model S would look like in race livery, with a FIA roll cage, here's your answer. The Electric GT championship will start in November in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, with 20 racing specification Teslas battling each other, and now the first race-prepared EPCS V2.3 Tesla P100DL has been revealed at the Barcelona track.

The car is kitted out in SPV Racing's livery, driven by development drivers Emma Kimiläinen and Alvaro Fontes at the unveiling event. Despite the racing modifications, including track-proof brakes, the Teslas' powertrain remains stock, and the car retains its touchscreen dashboard; the interior has been stripped and lightened, but it's still recognizably Tesla. All cars will be identical, and they all will have the 778hp/995Nm power output that takes the racers to 62mph in just 2.1 seconds. Autocar said the racing version is still 25 percent lighter than a stock Tesla, and the 100kWh battery pack is the largest used in racing. The race diet has trimmed 0.3 seconds from the car's acceleration time to 62mph.

At the launch event, Electric GT's CEO Mark Gemmell said: "This is a very significant day for the championship as we deliver the first race-ready EPCS car to SPV Racing. Years of planning and hard work have gone into delivering this championship and today I'm proud to be presenting a real, thoroughbred, race-ready car that will challenge all comers and thrill fans around the world."

The first season will have 10 races, finishing at Italy's Vallelunga in late October after events held in Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK and Portugal. Tracks include the Nürburgring and Silverstone.