SEAT's first serious attempt at a World Rally Championship (WRC) was in the 1977 season when the company took part with its 'SEAT 1430/124D Especial 1800' race car, and in its debut at the Monte Carlo Rally the SEAT team finished in third and fourth place with the official 1430-1800 cars being driven by Antonio Zanini and Salvador Cañellas.

In recent years the consignment was burdened on the small SEAT Ibiza, a 1.6L normally aspirated front-wheel drive car with its roots in the Volkswagen Polo.

The Ibiza allowed the company to start building its rallying experience, and was officially engaged in some European national championships.

It had a 4 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, permanent four-wheel drive, and active differentials were involved in its transmission.

However, the short wheelbase and high-mounted engine (compared to its rivals) worked against the Córdoba, and results weren't impressive.

The main drivers were ex-WRC champion Didier Auriol, along with Harri Rovanpera and rising Finnish star Toni Gardemeister.

[citation needed] After winning two consecutive driver's and manufacturers titles, SEAT withdrew from the WTCC at the end of the 2009 season as a manufacturer-backed team.

However, in January 2010, it was announced that they would provide backing to the newly formed SR-Sport team run by SUNRED Engineering, while also confirming Gabriele Tarquini, Jordi Gene, Tiago Monteiro and Tom Coronel as 2010 drivers, as Yvan Muller departed for the works Chevrolet team.

Two teams continued to campaign petrol SEATs in the championship during 2009 with Adam Jones and series returnee Dan Eaves competitive for the Cartridge World Clyde Valley team, while Gordon Shedden drove for Clyde Valley for a couple of events before it withdrew, but he returned to drive a Leon for the Club Seat outfit.

Phil Glew joined Tom in a SEAT for one weekend at Silverstone racing under the team name of YourRacingCar.com but the car was run by Special Tuning UK.

[10] Cupra partnered with Zengő Motorsport and fielded Mattias Ekström, Jordi Gené, Mikel Azcona and Dániel Nagy as the drivers line-up.

[17][18] In September 2020, Abt Sportsline confirmed a partnership with Cupra to form Abt Cupra XE for the inaugural season of the all-electric SUV off-road racing series Extreme E with Mattias Ekström and Claudia Hürtgen as the original driver lineup.

[23] The team received special permission to modify the bodywork of the Spark Odyssey 21 with the Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept design.

[34] The team suffered its first DNS on Round 9 after Andersson crashed after colliding with McLaren's Hedda Hosås during qualifying.

In December 2023, Abt Cupra announced that the team will not return for the 2024 season to focus on Formula E but are open to entering the new hydrogen-based off-road racing series Extreme H in 2025.

[41] Kelvin van der Linde was signed to replaced Frijns after the latter suffered a wrist and hand fracture at the Mexico City e-Prix.

[42] Mahindra withdrew from the Cape Town e-Prix after the qualifying session due to safety concerns over the rear suspension.

[47][48] In November, it was announced that Lola has taken over Abt's Formula E entrants' licence, ending Cupra's run with the team.