Extreme E set for five-team title decider in the Atacama Desert
The spectacular backdrop of the Atacama Desert will provide a stunning setting for Rounds 9 and 10 of the campaign, with South America once again hosting the deciding X Prix to determine who will be crowned Extreme E champions.
ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team (ASXE) top the standings with 139 points going into the final event of the campaign, with Season 1 champions and last year’s runners-up, Rosberg X Racing (RXR), just three points adrift. Veloce Racing head into the finale in with a shout at claiming the championship for the first time, having claimed two victories and 118 points overall in Season 3.
No. 99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing and Season 2 champions X44 Vida Carbon Racing are outside bets for the title in fourth and fifth in the standings, respectively.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “We have had two exciting championships already in Extreme E, but this promises to be the most thrilling yet. To have five teams in with a chance of taking the title is fantastic and just goes to show what a competitive series Extreme E has become.
“We are delighted to be returning to Chile for the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix. The Atacama Desert is one of the most astonishing locations in the world, and to host our championship finale there is an incredible feeling, and really demonstrates the impact of Extreme E.
“It is going to be really close in the fight for the championship, and given how exceptional the racing and the event was last year, we cannot wait to return to Chile once again to conclude our third season.”
Situated north of the capital, Santiago, the city of Antofagasta is closely linked with mining activity. Since the mid-19th century, copper mining has dominated the focus of the area, but more recently has shifted towards more innovative and sustainable mining.
Antofagasta Minerals and its Centinela operation, Extreme E’s hosts for the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix, are on a mission to develop mining for a better future and will use the event to showcase their innovative, sustainable and inclusive methods which are transforming this crucial industry.
Iván Arriagada, CEO of Antofagasta Minerals, said: “We are very happy that Extreme E is returning to Chile. This event, held here for the first time in 2022, fills us with pride because the circuit is near our Centinela mining operation. This demonstrates that it is possible to develop sustainable and innovative mining. It also allows us to highlight the key role of copper in the development of clean technologies that will decarbonise the planet, combat climate change, and decontaminate cities.
“Supporting this international competition in Chile is a way of ratifying our commitment to producing the copper the world needs and to do so in a sustainable way. But it is also another way of being present at a global sporting event. We share many values with sports, we feel it both in the Pan-American and Parapan American Games we sponsored this year.
“Our purpose is to develop mining for a better future. This is reflected in our daily work and in pioneering innovations such as the use of untreated seawater, thickened tailings - a world-leading innovation in tailings management - and our diversity and inclusion strategy.
“We are happy to bring to Chile’s Antofagasta region a sporting event of international relevance, sharing with the communities and our workers a challenge that once again places us at the forefront of the mining industry. We know that together we can carry out the most complex tasks, both in terms of competitiveness, production, and costs, as well as in those issues that involve the society in which we are inserted.”
With the confirmation of Antofagasta, Chile, Extreme E's global voyage continues to highlight the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the most remarkable, remote locations in the world. Alongside, they promote the adoption of electric vehicles in the fight to help preserve the environment and protect the planet.
The last time Extreme E visited Chile for the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix was certainly a dramatic event.
Rosberg X Racing (RXR) were within touching distance of securing back-to-back titles, but technical issues denied them a place in the Final, thus allowing Lewis Hamilton’s X44 Vida Carbon Racing to take a first victory of 2022 and snatch vital points in pursuit of the championship.
After two dramatic deciders in 2021 and 2022, the finale to the 2023 campaign promises to be just as climatic. The countdown is on to the Season 3 finale event, as Extreme E gets set to head to Chile for a five-team showdown in just under a months’ time.
