diff --git a/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml b/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
index 23ce28a712..8e8297eab8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/config/vsphere.yaml
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ variables:
   KUBERNETES_VERSION_UPGRADE_FROM: "v1.28.0"
   KUBERNETES_VERSION_UPGRADE_TO: "v1.29.0"
   KUBERNETES_VERSION_LATEST_CI: "ci/latest-1.30"
-  CPI_IMAGE_K8S_VERSION: "v1.30.0-alpha.0"
+  CPI_IMAGE_K8S_VERSION: "v1.30.0-rc.0"
   CNI: "./data/cni/calico/calico.yaml"
   EXP_CLUSTER_RESOURCE_SET: "true"
   EXP_KUBEADM_BOOTSTRAP_FORMAT_IGNITION: "true"