Another first in the FRAS championships: Europe’s first BYD race car will be driven by Cristiana Oprea in Round 3 of the National Super Rally Championship (CNSR), scheduled for August 28–29 in Timișoara.
Super Rally Electric Class champion Cristiana Oprea will compete in a production BYD Seal that has been converted into a race car, marking another first in the FRAS championships, following those of previous years, in which drivers Sorin Ghișoi, Andrei Barbu and Dominic Marcu took center stage. Europe’s first BYD race car was built in Romania under the name “BYD Seal 01” and is a 100% electric vehicle.
It is based on a BYD Seal Excellence model equipped with two electric motors, all-wheel drive, and a maximum power output of 390 kW, equivalent to 530 CP and 670 Nm. In its standard configuration, the model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, and after the extensive modification process, it is approximately 160 kilograms lighter.
As part of this project, the audio system, airbags, ambient lighting, and floor mats were removed, and safety equipment specific to a race car was installed, including an FIA-certified roll cage, bucket seats, a Sparco fire extinguisher, 6-point harnesses and other features that meet the requirements of auto racing competitions. At the same time, Cristiana Oprea opted for an adjustable KW suspension, Ferodo racing brakes, and a new set of lighter Braid wheels fitted with Michelin tires.
“I’ve wanted to take on this project ever since last year, when I felt firsthand behind the wheel the potential of this new model on the Romanian market. Now, with the support of my partners UniCredit Leasing, PPC blue Romania, and Schaeffler, the time has come to make this dream a reality and get it off the ground. I’m thrilled that we’re also marking a European first, something that has already come to define my vision and career in motorsports. Last but not least, I’d like to thank pilots Dominic Marcu and Horia Platona for their advice and ideas—collegiality and fair play matter immensely in such a pioneering endeavor.
It’s the most powerful car I’ve ever driven, which means there’s an interesting process of adjustment—and development—ahead. We’ll certainly find areas that can be improved to make it even more competitive—I’m referring here to the braking system, software modifications, and weight reduction by building body parts out of carbon fiber. We’re preparing as best we can for the 2027 season, because the story is just beginning„, said Cristiana Oprea, the first Romanian female driver to compete in the World Rally Championship.
Cristiana Oprea will drive the BYD Seal 01 in both Timișoara and at the Bucharest Trophy on October 10, 2026, the final round of the National Super Rally Championship. Additionally, starting in 2027, this electric car will also compete in the National Hill Climb Championship.
This new milestone in Cristiana Oprea’s career thus reaffirms FRAS’s openness to electric models dating back to 2018, when Sorin Ghișoi made history by driving a spectacular VW Golf GTI—Romania’s first electric race car—in the National Hill Climb Championship. The following season, FRAS introduced a new competition class dedicated to electric vehicles.
October 2020 also marked a world first: the first time an electric MINI competed in a motorsport event, the National Hill Climb Championship. “I embarked on this adventure feeling quite skeptical about the car’s performance, especially since I was going to compete in the National Hill Climb Championship without any prior testing, without knowing the car, and without knowing what to expect. But during the eight climbs on Drumul Poienii, we learned a lot about the car—its strengths and weaknesses—and managed to set faster times with each climb, ultimately finishing in around 3 minutes and 8 seconds for the stage’s five kilometers”, said Andrei Barbu about the project carried out by BMW Romania.
Subsequently, two other significant milestones were recorded. In 2022, at the first round of the CNVC, Dominic Marcu took to the track in a Tesla Model 3 Performance, thereby setting a European first.
In May 2024, following his successes with the 500-horsepower car, Dominic unveiled the first Tesla Model S PLAID designed for auto racing, marking yet another European first. “After each success, I sought to dream even bigger, to embark on an ambitious project that would challenge me and bring me equal satisfaction.
The Tesla Model S Plaid is the result of this ambition and represents a milestone in my career, with 1,020 horsepower and cutting-edge technology. We are determined to make history and show the whole world that performance in motorsports can go hand in hand with sustainability„, said Dominic Marcu at the launch event.