Extreme E’s NEOM Island X Prix double-header, co-organised by the Automobile Club d’Italia and Regione Sardegna, the electric off-road series is excited to reveal a thrilling course that brings the 10 teams and 20 world-class drivers to the shores of Sardinia for its first ever back-to-back race format.
Inland from the coastal town of Porto Pino on Sardinia’s southwest coast, the undulating course sits within the Capo Teulada training area. The elevation change is less dramatic than other locations that the series has raced at with a relatively modest change of 28 metres, but the rutted terrain will provide the toughest challenge.
The start of the course provides a unique opportunity for the drivers, with a multi-lane section offering very different approaches before the cars rejoin and resume battle. Doing their homework on the course will form a crucial part of team preparation, as the optimal combination of speed and distance could prove elusive.
Semi Finals
JBXE secured the win in Semi-Final 2 to confirm their spot in the NEOM Island X Prix I Final, with ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team coming in second to deny X44 a chance of fighting for a podium.
X44 and ACCIONA | SAINZ were close off the line, as Laia Sanz brought the fight to Sébastien Loeb. The Frenchman then dropped to third as Kevin Hansen shut the door on the X44 car to take second place for JBXE.
Hansen’s impressive charge continued as he soon passed Sanz to take the lead in Semi-Final 2, leaving the Spaniard to fend off Loeb until he managed to find space on the inside to secure second.
JBXE entered the Switch Zone comfortably ahead of Loeb, where the X44 team suffered an issue that saw them exit the driver switch at the back of the pack.
Hedda Hosås embarked on the second lap with a 20 second lead as Carlos Sainz Snr. set off to hunt the Norwegian down. The pressure was on for the debutant, who kept a cool head to cross the finish line 5 seconds ahead of Sainz Snr. as both teams progress to the Final to join Rosberg X Racing and XITE ENERGY Racing.
Rosberg X Racing (RXR) fought hard to claim victory in Semi-Final 1 and progress to the NEOM Island X Prix 1 Final, with XITE Energy Racing joining them as Genesys Andretti United Extreme E missed out having led the race at the halfway point.
In an exciting first race on Finals Day, RXR switched up their strategy for Semi-Final 1, sending Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky out to take on the first lap against Timmy Hansen for Genesys Andretti United Extreme E and XITE ENERGY Racing’s Tamara Molinaro.
Hansen charged off the line, but Åhlin-Kottulinsky managed to shut the door on the Genesys Andretti car. The two tussled in the opening corners, testing alternate lines and coming into contact multiple times as they fought for the lead.
A defensive masterclass from Åhlin-Kottulinsky lasted until the final corners, when Hansen took a wide line to cut through on the inside of RXR and get ahead in one of the best duels of Extreme E so far.
XITE ENERGY Racing’s Molinaro was only 8 seconds behind the battle up ahead as the teams entered the Switch Zone.
Johan Kristoffersson took over the wheel for RXR’s second lap and soon overtook Genesys Andretti’s Catie Munnings as her ODYSSEY 21 appeared to be losing pace.
The Brit soon dropped to the back of the pack as Timo Scheider made up ground to take second place and a spot in the Final in his first ever X Prix.
Final
No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing took a maiden victory in Extreme E as Rosberg X Racing were penalised for Johan Kristoffersson’s collision with Carlos Sainz Snr. that took the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team out of the race.
Kyle LeDuc and Sara Price inherited their first win in a stop-start NEOM Island X Prix I Final, that also saw XITE ENERGY Racing claim a first top-three finish. A red flag was brought out following a big accident for ACCIONA | SAINZ as RXR’s Kristoffersson collided with Sainz Snr. in the early stages.
It was the Spaniard who managed to edge in front of the pack from the start as the teams’ racing lines merged, but as the course narrowed Sainz Snr. collided with Kristoffersson and was sent into a barrel roll. This brought about the red flag at the end of the first lap and, ultimately, a 30-second penalty for the Championship leaders.
Sainz Snr. managed to walk away from the accident, while Kristoffersson continued in the race despite substantial damage to his ODYSSEY 21.
Alejandro Agag, CEO and Founder of Extreme E, said: “Carlos Sainz Snr. from the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team was involved in a collision with Rosberg X Racing in the opening moments of Extreme E’s NEOM Island X Prix I Final, in Sardinia this afternoon. He received a full check up in hospital as a precaution but was cleared and released this evening.
“The safety of our drivers is our greatest concern. Myself, along with the whole Extreme E family wish Carlos well and we hope to see him back in action this weekend for the next X Prix.”
Amongst the chaos, LeDuc found himself in second place on track for No.99 GMC Hummer EV, ahead of XITE Energy Racing’s Timo Scheider and the trailing Hedda Hosås in the JBXE car as the teams entered the Switch Zone.
In similar fashion to the Desert X Prix Final in NEOM, the race restarted for a one-lap shootout, with the four teams released at intervals that matched how they had entered the Switch Zone.
No.99 GMC Hummer EV’s Price began her chase of RXR’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky in pursuit of that elusive maiden victory for her team.
Despite missing bodywork from the front of her ODYSSEY 21, Åhlin-Kottulinsky extended the lead given to her by teammate Kristoffersson to cross the line on track in first, but following a stewards investigation RXR were demoted to third, confirming No.99 GMC Hummer EV’s first Extreme E win and XITE Energy Racing’s best series result to date.
Even with the penalty, Nico Rosberg’s outfit still lead the Championship standings with 50 points having once again secured the extra five points for going quickest in the Continental Traction Challenge. No.99 GMC Hummer EV are now their nearest challengers with 37 points.
Results
1. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing
2. XITE ENERGY Racing +11.853
3. Rosberg X Racing +19.637
4. JBXE +23.434
5. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team DNF
Championship Standings
1. Rosberg X Racing: 50 points
2. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 37 points
3. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 28 points
4. XITE ENERGY Racing: 26 points
5. X44: 23 points
6. JBXE: 14 points
7. Genesys Andretti United Extreme E: 12 points
8. NEOM McLaren Extreme E: 11 points
9. ABT CUPRA XE: 6 points
10. Veloce Racing: 5 points
The RacerViews info
Words and Images from Extreme E media outlet
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