Extreme E News

19 Dec 2021

Rosberg X Racing crowned first Extreme E champions with X44 winners of season-ending Jurassic X Prix: 1018967340-LAT-20211219-XP2105 135709Extr uk charly 211219 0158

Rosberg X Racing crowned first Extreme E champions with X44 winners of season-ending Jurassic X Prix

19 December 2021, Dorset: Rosberg X Racing (RXR) are the champions of the first-ever season of Extreme E, securing the title after finishing fourth in the season-ending Jurassic X Prix in Dorset, UK.

Despite finishing level on 155 points with Jurassic X Prix winners X44, RXR’s Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor took the Championship due to having more X Prix victories over the course of the campaign, with three wins from five events.

Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez finally took their first Extreme E win at their fifth attempt, as well as five extra points for being fastest through the Continental Traction Challenge at the Jurassic X Prix, but it was not enough for X44 to wrestle the Championship lead from RXR.

Jenson Button’s JBXE and Andretti United Extreme E completed the podium places in the Final by finishing second and third, respectively, while ACCIONA | Sainz finished behind the newly-crowned champions RXR in fifth.

Johan Kristoffersson, RXR: “It’s fantastic; this has been a new racing series, new team, and new locations but we’ve worked so hard to get here, and to be champions really feels amazing. Molly [Taylor] drove excellently today, managing the challenging conditions and I knew that all that remained for me was to not make any mistakes and bring the car home safely. We’re delighted to be champions and look forward to celebrating with the team.”

Molly Taylor, RXR: “It feels amazing to be the first-ever championship winners of Extreme E. This season has been brutal, racing in some of the most remote parts of the world in truly extreme conditions but we’ve worked together as a team and we’re delighted with this result. The nerves were definitely there today but Johan [Kristoffersson] and I kept our eyes on the final prize, and the whole team effort across many months has brought us to this point today.”

Nico Rosberg, RXR Founder and CEO, said: “We are so delighted to be crowned the inaugural Extreme E Champions and I am really proud of the entire RXR team. The team has worked so hard all season and performed consistently, racing in some of the world’s most remote locations. To be Champions is such an honour.

“A massive congratulations to our drivers, Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson, who have been excellent all season. We came into Extreme E to raise awareness of climate change, and promote sustainability, but also as a racing team, we want to win and so we will remember this feeling forever.”

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “We are really happy with the first Extreme E season. It has not been easy in the middle of a pandemic, but we have delivered five X Prix events, and the Finale in Dorset produced some spectacular racing. Since our first event in Saudi Arabia we have had a lot of eventful and incredible moments ending in a brilliant title decider today.

“I must say congratulations to RXR – they did a great job in winning the first ever Extreme E Championship. I must also say well done to X44 who were the victors at the Jurassic X Prix today and really deserved the win after being the fastest qualifiers at every X Prix this season. We are now looking forward to what we hope will be a fantastic Season 2.”

With five cars vying for position to get the best traction and grip off the line in the Jurassic X Prix Final, the start was crucial. It was the Championship contenders who got the best getaway, with X44’s Gutiérrez flying into the lead ahead of RXR’s Taylor, with JBXE’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Andretti United Extreme E’s Catie Munnings and ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team’s Laia Sanz fighting for position behind.

As Gutiérrez began to pull away from the chasing pack, the tension began to grow in the RXR team as Taylor fell into the clutches of those behind, losing places to Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Munnings to slip back to fourth, just ahead of Sanz in fifth place. This was dangerous territory for RXR, who needed to finish fourth or higher to claim the title.

The battle for third place in the standings has been similarly competitive – with just a point separating JBXE and Andretti United Extreme E ahead of the Jurassic X Prix. Their closely fought contest continued as Munnings closed in on Åhlin-Kottulinsky, but there was drama as they both attempted to enter the Driver Switch Zone, with contact between the pair sending Munnings into a spin. Fortunately, she was able to get going again and retain third place, such was the pace advantage the leading trio had over RXR and ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team.

The order was maintained after the driver switch, with Loeb preserving X44’s lead over JBXE’s Kevin Hansen in second and Andretti United Extreme E’s Timmy Hansen in third.

The stage was set for Kristoffersson and Carlos Sainz Snr. to fight it out for the title-deciding fourth place finish, but it was a battle which fizzled out after problems in the Driver Switch Zone meant ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team lost ground. This gave RXR breathing space in their bid to score the crucial points needed to seal the championship.

That they did, with a jubilant RXR team celebrating wildly as Kristoffersson crossed the finish line in fourth to confirm Extreme E’s maiden champions.

Sébastien Loeb, X44: “This has been a challenging championship for us, but this weekend was the best so far. We came first in Qualifying in every X Prix, but we kept having bad luck in the Finals so to end on equal points with RXR after the season they’ve had is incredible and shows what we can do. 

“I’m confident we will do even better next year, but for now we will be celebrating with the team!”

Cristina Gutiérrez, X44: “I am so happy - finally we have won an X Prix! I’m very proud of Seb [Loeb] and everyone in the team. It has been a tough year, but they all worked really hard and today it paid off. 

“A first place race finish and second in the championship is amazing, and of course congratulations to RXR for such a great season. I can’t wait to come back next year and see what else we can do!”

Kevin Hansen, JBXE: “As soon as I stepped into the team Mikaela [Åhlin-Kottulinsky] and I have done everything we can to be as fast as possible because with all the cars being the same the driving is the biggest part. To be competitive on four very different courses as part of such a young team, that joined late to the series, means that I am super proud of our performance.”

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, JBXE: “It is incredible that we have been on the podium in the last four rounds. I want to say thank you to the team because we have been making a step forward at each round and that has brought us here. I did teach Kevin [Hansen] to drift on ice when he was about 13 and that was key to this year!

“It is all about details when it comes to performance and since we speak the same language we can get those nailed and we work together really well.”

Timmy Hansen, Andretti United Extreme E: “It was actually one of the more simpler weekends of the season and it was straightforward where the line would be. Of course there was the mud, but it was more about being in the right place on the track. I enjoyed that and the level of the drivers around this paddock, male and female, has been really high. We pushed each other hard. I went over the limit in Quailifying 2 yesterday, so it has been challenging but enjoyable.

“It has been very exciting and it looks like in the world of motorsport it is going more and more electric.”

Catie Munnings, Andretti United Extreme E: “It was a crazy Final! The visibility was quite poor on the course. I got pushed a couple of times, and coming into the Switch Zone I kind of had the line and was then pushed into the ditch, which was really disappointing when we were fighting for third in the Championship. 

“But it was always going to be a crazy race with the amount of water and mud here, and actually following one of those cars you realise how fast it is and how on the limit we all are.”

Final Result
1. X44
(Sébastien Loeb / Cristina Gutiérrez) 3 laps (9:20:609)

2. JBXE (Kevin Hansen / Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky) (+3.613)

3. Andretti United Extreme E (Timmy Hansen / Catie Munnings) (+9.735)

4. Rosberg X Racing (Johan Kristoffersson / Molly Taylor) (+15.798)

5. ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team (Carlos Sainz Snr. / Laia Sanz) (+31.101)


Semi-Final 1

Semi-Final 1 at the Jurassic X Prix was an absolute thriller, as X44 and JBXE narrowly defeated Veloce Racing to secure their Final spots. JBXE’s Hansen made a strong start from the middle grid slot to take the lead from Loeb and Lance Woolridge with all three ODYSSEY 21s running closely together despite the lack of visibility. After some initial squabbling between the trio, Woolridge dropped back due to a spin. However, all thoughts of a comfortable run to the Final for JBXE and X44 were quickly erased due to the pace of the Veloce Racing driver, who immediately closed the gap to ensure all three teams were nose to tail going into the Switch Zone at the end of their runs.

Some clever tactical positioning from X44 in the Switch Zone ensured Gutiérrez was able to get the jump on her rivals and exit ahead of JBXE’s Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Veloce Racing’s Jamie Chadwick. Despite running closely together throughout the final lap their positions remained unchanged, ensuring X44 and JBXE secured their place in the Jurassic X Prix Final. X44 were handed a further boost courtesy of Loeb, who banked five extra points for the team after going quickest in the Continental Traction Challenge.

Semi-Final 2

After seeing their title rivals X44 secure victory in Semi-Final 1, RXR rose to the challenge in the second Semi-Final to claim their Jurassic X Prix Final spot alongside ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team. A rapid getaway from Kristoffersson ensured RXR shot into the lead, fending off Sainz Snr. and Ekström. As the RXR driver stretched the gap a fantastic battle ensued behind, as Ekström deployed Hyperdrive to make the move on Sainz Snr., but the two-time World Rally Champion used all of his experience to hold off the ABT CUPRA XE driver to retain second. That proved to be significant, as shortly afterwards the bonnet flew off of Ekström’s car following one of the jump which caused the Swede to lose pace and drop back.

As the ODYSSEY 21s approached the switch zone, Kristoffersson and Sainz Snr. managed to stretch the gap out front with the unfortunate Ekström losing further ground. The ABT CUPRA XE car was then held in the Switch Zone to check for any further damage and although the team were able to get going once more it was following a significant delay. This allowed Taylor and Sanz to comfortably progress into the Final.

The Crazy Race

Andretti United Extreme E booked their place in the Final after overcoming SEGI TV Chip Ganassi and XITE ENERGY RACING in a closely contested Crazy Race.

There was action from the outset as all three ODYSSEY 21s jockeyed for position off the start line as they searched frantically for grip and the best line into the twisty, narrow sections of the Jurassic X Prix course. It was Andretti United Extreme E’s Hansen who came out on top in that battle, with Oliver Bennett and Kyle LeDuc following closely behind for XITE ENERGY RACING and SEGI TV Chip Ganassi Racing, respectively. LeDuc was not keen on staying behind for long, though, and made an audacious, aggressive move to overtake Bennett around the outside and began to close in on Hansen. The Andretti United Extreme E driver was able to keep LeDuc at bay until the Switch Zone, where it was left to their team-mates Munnings and Sara Price to battle it out for a place in the Final.

Despite closing the gap on Munnings, Price was unable to make the all-important overtake. Price tried one final move coming out of The Twins section of the course, but was narrowly beaten to the finish line by Munnings who scored a crucial Crazy Race win on home soil.

Championship Standings

  1. Rosberg X Racing (155 points – three X Prix wins)
  2. X44 (155 points – one X Prix win)
  3. JBXE (119 points)
  4. Andretti United Extreme E (117 points)
  5. ABT CUPRA XE (100 points)
  6. ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team (100 points)
  7. Veloce Racing (77 points)
  8. SEGI TV Chip Ganassi Racing (74 points)
    9. XITE ENERGY RACING (63 points)

To learn more about Extreme E, visit - www.Extreme-E.com

ENDS

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Contact Information

Charlotte Sefton
Extreme E
+44 7827 214807
charlotte@extreme-e.com

Simra Gulzar
Extreme E
+44 7552 858229
media@extreme-e.com

Josh Bell
MPA Creative
+44 7557 102540
jb@mpacreative.com

About Extreme E:

Now heading into its third season, Extreme E is a radical off-road racing series, founded by the same team behind Formula E, which showcases electric SUVs and futuristic technologies in some of the world’s most remote and challenging environments. 

This five-event global voyage utilises its sporting platform for the purpose of promoting electrification, environment and equality. The series’ goal is to highlight the impact of climate change in some of the world’s most endangered environments, promote the adoption of electric vehicles to pave the way for a lower carbon future, and provide a world-first gender-equal motorsport platform. 

The first sport to ever be built out of a social purpose, Extreme E aims to minimise environmental impact while maximising awareness, racing in places that have already been damaged or affected by climate change or human interference and taking fans deep into the heart of the most pressing issues facing our planet’s future. 

Not only that, but Extreme E is also helping the car industry to develop future-facing technology using racing as a platform for road innovation, which accelerates change ten-fold.

Season 3 Calendar
Saudi Arabia: 11-12 March 2023
Scotland, UK: 13-14 May 2023
Sardinia, Italy: 08-09 July 2023
Sardinia, Italy: 16-17 September 2023
Chile: 02-03 December 2023

About Continental Tires: Founding Partner and Official Tire Partner

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. Continental generated preliminary sales of €37.7 billion in 2020 and currently employs more than 235,000 people in 58 countries and markets. In 2021, the company celebrates its 150th anniversary.

The Tires business area has 24 production and development locations worldwide. Continental is one of the leading tire manufacturers with more than 56,000 employees and posted preliminary sales of €10.2 billion in 2020 in this business area. Continental ranks among the technology leaders in tire production and offers a broad product range for passenger cars, commercial and special-purpose vehicles as well as two-wheelers. Through continuous investment in research and development, Continental makes a major contribution to safe, cost effective and ecologically efficient mobility. The portfolio of the Tires business area includes services for the tire trade and fleet applications, as well as digital management systems for tires.

About Enel X Way: Official Smart Charging Partner

Enel X Way is the Enel Group's company fully dedicated to electric mobility. With around 25,000 managed public charging points, Enel X Way operates in 16 countries, both directly and through joint ventures such as Ewiva in Italy and Chargeway in India. As a global platform for e-Mobility, the company is focused on developing flexible charging technologies and solutions to improve the customer experience and to enable the electrification of transport for consumers, businesses, cities and public administrations. 

LinkedIn:  Enel X Way 
Twitter: @enelxway
Instagram: @enelxway  
Facebook: @enelxway

About Zenith: Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner

Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women – past and present – by celebrating their accomplishments and creating in 2020 its first-ever collection dedicated entirely to them, Defy Midnight. 
 
With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, Zenith has gone on to master fractions of the second with the Chronomaster Sport and its 1/10th of a second precision and the DEFY 21 with a precision of 1/100th of a second.

About ENOWA: Official Green Hydrogen Partner

About ENOWA: ENOWA is a world-class energy, water and hydrogen company founded in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. ENOWA produces and delivers clean and sustainable resources for industrial and commercial applications using a customer-centric smart and connected system, designed to be circular and takes advantage of NEOM's optimal solar and wind energy profile. ENOWA benefits from NEOM's greenfield site, which has no legacy infrastructure, to advance Energy, Water, and Hydrogen innovation. 

ENOWA will act as a catalyst and incubator for developing new, sustainable energy and water businesses while creating a robust economic sector regionally. Through its commitment to renewable energy and efficient water management, ENOWA seeks to become a global reference for industry leaders and setting a benchmark for sustainable economic circular systems around the world.

For more information, please visit enowa.neom.com

About Vodafone Business: Official Technology and Communication Partner

With expertise in connectivity, global scale and the leading IoT platform, Vodafone Business is a leading technology communications company helping organisations succeed in a digital world and keeping society connected. Vodafone’s purpose is to connect for a better future, enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital society, and many of its solutions have sustainability and inclusivity embedded.

Unique in its scale as the largest pan-European and African technology communications company, Vodafone transforms the way we live and work through its innovation, technology, connectivity, platforms, products and services. Vodafone operates mobile and fixed networks in 21 countries, and partners with mobile networks in 52 more.  As of 31 December 2021, they had over 300m mobile customers, more than 28m fixed broadband customers and over 22m TV customers.

This collaboration will see Vodafone Business leading innovations and capabilities such as 5G, MPN, IOT and MEC, integrated into Extreme E’s global operations and will include full involvement in the purpose- driven elements of the series, with special prominence on Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes and the Science Laboratory on board the St Helena.Through its IOT solutions, Vodafone Business is helping sustainability efforts, including agriculture, forestation and decarbonisation of energy grids.

Find out more on http://www.Vodafone.com/business  and follow Vodafone on its social media channels:

Twitter: @VodafoneGroup

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone

About EY: Official Sustainability Partner

EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy, transactions and tax services, and already plays a significant role in working with Extreme E. Originally announcing its collaboration with the championship back in 2020, EY came on board to help Extreme E achieve its commitment to minimising its overall footprint whilst creating a positive legacy. 
 
Whilst Extreme E strives ‘to race without a trace’, the framework provided by EY has helped the series to minimize its environmental impact across each of its remote race locations. Both prior and post-racing impact assessments have supported Extreme E to strategically plan their actions within these areas. 
 
EY and Extreme E will work closely together to promote the five pillars of Extreme E (or “Five Es”) through the adoption of ‘XE Talks’. These informative presentations, facilitated by Extreme E’s Scientific Committee, will shed light on the Five Es, showcasing the joint commitment of EY and Extreme E.

About CBMM: Founding Supplier

CBMM is the world leading supplier of niobium products and technology. Headquartered in Brazil, with offices and subsidiaries in China, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.

CBMM offers technical innovation to customers around the globe through a team of over 2,000 highly trained, dedicated professionals providing cutting-edge niobium products and technology to over 400 clients in around 40 countries.

About Kaizen Clean Energy: Official Clean Energy Technology Provider

Kaizen Clean Energy (KCE), a manufacturer of hydrogen generators, is developing integrated solutions for electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen fuelling, and distributed power for the grid and critical assets. 
 
KCE offers its mobile microgrid to customers through an Energy as a Service contract, which eliminates large capital expenses and provides customers with the flexibility to scale with energy needs over time.  
 
Kaizen Clean Energy will support ENOWA - NEOM’s energy, water, and hydrogen subsidiary and Green Hydrogen Power Partner to Extreme E - in delivering a pioneering hydrogen microgrid solution to the championship. 
 
Find out more on: www.kaizencleanenergy.com.

About ALLCOT: Official Environmental Contribution Partner 

Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, ALLCOT works together with communities, organizations, and governments worldwide in climate actions, to accelerate the transition to Net Zero.  ALLCOT develops Climate action through projects and solutions with triple impact: environmental, social, and economic, using four strategies:   

  • Sustainability strategies: Innovative, comprehensive, and tailored solutions for businesses to reduce and compensate greenhouse gas emissions and measures the socio-economic co-benefits through the SDGs. 
  • Project development & implementation: Implementation of carbon projects in developing countries, rooted in community engagement, environmental stewardship, and economic viability, driven by integrity, equity, and transparency. 
  • Capacity building: Providing individuals and communities with practical skills and knowledge, possible to apply in their daily lives. 
  • Advocacy: Creating systemic change to work closely with policymakers and stakeholders to promote sustainable policies and practices at the local, national, and international levels. 
     
    Find out more on: www.allcot.com  

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