Rosberg X Racing finish on top in NEOM Island X Prix I Qualifying

After finishing first in Qualifying 1, Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky dominated their Heat in Qualifying 2 to head the overall Qualifying standings ahead of Finals day.

In the other five-car Heat, the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team took the maximum 10 points from Q2. This, combined with their second-place finish in Q1, put them just one point behind RXR and into Semi-Final 2.

Johan Kristoffersson, RXR, commented: “It was a fantastic qualifying session.  I felt very comfortable. The track suits me, even though the conditions are a bit tricky. Tomorrow will be an interesting day as the track will certainly change again. We will spend some time with analysis tonight and then we should be ready for a great race.”

It was tight off the line between RXR, X44 and XITE ENERGY Racing in Heat 1, with Kristoffersson leading from Cristina Gutiérrez before the X44 driver lost control and dropped to the back of the pack.

Kyle LeDuc soon overtook XITE’s Timo Scheider to take third for No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing behind Genesys Andretti United Extreme E’s Catie Munnings.

While it looked like the American had the pace to challenge at the front of the pack, his efforts were thwarted as his car came to a halt, meaning his team finished last in Qualifying overall and will take part in the Crazy Race tomorrow.

Munnings initially kept Scheider at bay, before the German debutant charged up the inside to overtake, stealing second from Munnings in the final corners, albeit 16 seconds behind the dominant RXR.

On the second lap the teams bunched together as they went through a yellow sector, passing the stationary No.99 GMC Hummer EV at a safe pace. Demonstrating his experience, Sébastien Loeb took a wider line than Timmy Hansen in front and managed to get past the Swede as they exited the yellow sector to snatch third.

A great run from Loeb brought the team from last to second as the Frenchman then overtook XITE ENERGY Racing’s Tamara Molinaro in the final corners to finish third overall in Qualifying. This was enough to secure X44 a spot in Semi-Final 2 and keep their chances of victory in the X Prix alive.

Third and fourth for XITE ENERGY Racing and Genesys Andretti United Extreme E, respectively, puts the teams into Semi-Final 1 with 12 points each where they’ll face RXR.

ACCIONA | SAINZ took a comfortable victory in Qualifying 2 Heat 2. Setting off from Spot 2 like RXR, Carlos Sainz Snr. surged to the front on what appears to be the favoured racing line.

Veloce Racing also started well as Christine GZ stormed into second place from the far-right of the starting line, until Tanner Foust passed on the outside to take second place for NEOM McLaren Extreme E.

The top three entered the Switch Zone in this order, as JBXE’s debutant Hedda Hosås kept the more experienced ABT CUPRA XE driver Jutta Kleinschmidt behind her in fifth.

Following the driver change, an opportunist move from Veloce Racing’s Lance Woolridge put the team into second place as they held off NEOM McLaren XE’s Emma Gilmour, and the charging JBXE of Kevin Hansen.

Despite an impressive comeback in Qualifying 2 to cross the line in second, a ten second penalty for Woolridge for speeding in the Switch Zone put Veloce Racing down to fourth in the Heat.

JBXE’s subsequent promotion into third place was enough to secure them sixth overall in the Qualifying standings, placing them in Semi-Final 2. This means Veloce Racing will compete against ABT CUPRA XE, NEOM McLaren Extreme E and No.99 GMC Hummer EV in the Crazy Race tomorrow.

Q2 Results:

Heat 1:

1. Rosberg X Racing 9:58:521
2. X44 +9.021
3. XITE ENERGY Racing +13.659
4. Genesys Andretti United Extreme E +15.498
5. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing DNF

Heat 2:

1. ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team 9:32:591
2. NEOM McLaren Extreme E +10.233
3. JBXE +10.461
4. Veloce Racing +16.181
5. ABT CUPRA XE +17.002

Having completed both rounds of Qualifying, Intermediate Classification points were awarded as follows:  
 
1. Rosberg X Racing – 20 points 
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team – 19 points 
3. X44 – 12 points 
4. Genesys Andretti United Extreme E – 12 points 
5. XITE ENERGY Racing – 12 points 
6. JBXE – 11 points 
7. ABT CUPRA XE – 9 points 
8. NEOM McLaren Extreme E – 8 points 
9. Veloce Racing – 4 points 
10. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing – 0 points 

Extreme E:

Julia Fry, Head of Communications 
E: media@extreme-e.com / T: +44 7778 108754

Josh Bell, MPA Creative:     
E: jb@mpacreative.com  / T: +44 7557 102540

Diego Bustos, BE Mass Media (Latin America -including Brazil-, US Hispanics, Spain, Portugal)
E: diego.bustos@bemassmedia.com / +569-8829-9138 or +1-660-847-4645

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Extreme E:

Extreme E is a radical new racing series, which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet.  

To minimise local impact, Extreme E races will not be open to spectators, with fans instead invited to follow the action through live TV broadcast, and on social media. 

The St. Helena, a former passenger cargo ship, has undergone a multi-million Euro refit to minimise emissions and transform her into Extreme E’s operations hub. The ship will be used to transport the championship’s freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port, minimising Extreme E’s footprint, as well as being used to facilitate scientific research through its on-board laboratory.

Extreme E is also pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy. This innovative solution from AFC Energy uses water and sun to generate hydrogen power. Not only will this process emit no greenhouse emissions, its only by-product will be water, which will be utilised elsewhere on-site. 

Extreme E Season 2 Calendar:  

Neom, Saudi Arabia 
19-20 February 2022 

Sardinia, Italy  
06-07 July 2022 

Sardinia, Italy 
09-10 July 2022 

Antofagasta, Chile 
24-25 September 2022 

Punta del Este, Uruguay  
26-27 November 2022 

About Continental Tyres: Founding Partner and Official Tyre 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 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 LuisaViaRoma:

Defined by the Financial Times as “A haven for directional fashion,” LUISAVIAROMA.COM is the top online luxury fashion destination with 5,000,000 visitors per month and worldwide shipping. With each new season, the website presents the collections of more than 600 established designers and young emerging talents.

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. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.

About Allianz: Founding Partner and Official Insurance Partner

The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with more than 100 million private and corporate customers in more than 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 790 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage 1.7 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are amongst the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2020, over 150,000 employees achieved total revenues of 140 billion euros and an operating profit of 10.8 billion euros for the group.

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 Neat Burger: Official Plant-based Partner

Neat Burger is the first of its kind – the planet-friendly, plant-based, full-flavoured game-changer the world has been waiting for. The world’s first plant-based sustainable burger chain, Neat Burger offers a menu that appeals to not only those who follow plant-based diets, but anyone, meat-eaters included, who wants to eat delicious meat-free dishes that are more sustainable, healthier and ethical. The brand is backed by seven-time FIA Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, in collaboration with hospitality organisation The Cream Group and investors, as well as UNICEF Ambassador and early backer of Beyond Meat Tommaso Chiabra.

Neat Burger opened its first site in September 2019, just off Regent Street in London, and its second and third dine-in outlets at Camden Market and Soho in 2020. Plans for global expansion across Europe, the US and Middle East are already in place for 2021 and beyond.

About EY: Official Innovation Partner

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

About INTERprotección: Official Insurance Broker

INTERprotección is composed of a group of Mexican insurance, reinsurance and surety bond brokerage companies. With global presence and recognition, INTERprotección has more than 40 years of experience in management and comprehensive risk consulting in the Mexican market. Its business model is focused on bringing the client to the forefront and offering them the best service through innovative and disruptive products, more recently with its new brand ​inter.mx,​ its insurance digital platform that is transforming the insurtech game. Follow INTERprotección on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter ​@I​NTERproteccion

About Enel X Way: Official Smart Charging Partner

Enel X Way is the Enel Group's new global business line entirely dedicated to electric mobility. Currently, Enel X Way manages approximately 320,000 charging points, both directly and through interoperability agreements in place worldwide1. As a global platform for e-mobility, the company is focused on developing flexible charging technologies and solutions to improve the customer experience by supporting the electrification of transport for consumers, businesses, cities and public administrations

Find out more on https://enelxway.it/en/home and follow Enel X Way on its social media channels:

LinkedIn:  Enel X Way

Twitter: @enelxway

Instagram: @enelxway 

Facebook: @enelxway

¹ Public and private charging points, including points of interoperability.