How Extreme E delivered away from the track in Scotland

Here’s how the championship left an impact in Dumfries and Galloway as the series returned to Scotland for its second X Prix of the 2024 season.

Legacy Programme:

The championship has been working with the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board, a non-profit organisation based in Scotland dedicated to conserving and enhancing the aquatic environment of the River Nith and its tributaries, since the championship’s debut event in Scotland last year. The Board’s primary objective is to protect and enhance the river's fish populations, improve water quality, and create sustainable fishing opportunities for local communities.

As a result of the Hydro X Prix legacy programme, Extreme E and the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board have partnered to support a multi-stage environmental initiative focused on mitigating climate change effects upon Atlantic salmon, highlighting issues caused by rising water temperatures and change in rainfall patterns.

Further details about the championship’s return to the River Nith and collaboration with the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board are available here.

Girls on Track UK:

Across the Hydro X Prix, members of the Girls on Track UK community got a taste of on and off-track activities throughout an Extreme E event.

Member of the Girls on Track UK Scottish Hub joined Extreme E teams at the River Nith to partake in the series’ Hydro X Prix legacy project, focusing on tackling the decline of Atlantic salmon. The hub supported the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board by taking part in electrofishing of the salmon which provided key information in monitoring the population of the fish, performing ‘Kick Sampling’, which allowed them to identify which aquatic insects and invertebrates are living in the water, and finally carrying out some ‘Willow Spiling’, a traditional technique using freshly cut willow and weaving them together to stabilise the riverbanks. 

On 12 July, 43 young carers from local carer support groups were welcomed onto the Dumfries and Galloway site to experience what it is like at a live race event, providing some much-needed downtime for the attendees and opportunities for engagement and exchange.

On 13 July, 12 Scottish Hub participants were able to access a behind-the-scenes experience of Extreme E, meeting team personnel from a range of teams in addition to being welcomed by drivers throughout the day. 

Jenny Fletcher, Girls on Track UK Programme Manager, said: “The launch of our national hubs allows us to introduce new elements, such as the importance of sustainability and how this impacts the future of motorsport across the UK – of incredible relevance to our community members when considering future career paths. It’s inspiring to see our hub members making a difference not only in their local community but also partaking in activities that will benefit the local environment, long after the race has moved on.”

Racing for All:

Extreme E’s Racing for All programme continues to go from strength to strength. Informed by the findings of the Hamilton Commission Report, the initiative aims to support opportunities for a new generation of young mechanical and engineering talent to join the world’s most radical off-road electric racing series.

Half of the Extreme E grid supported a candidate at the Hydro X Prix – The NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team (Oliver Smith), Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E (Lanna Campbell), E.ON Next Veloce Racing (Amanda Kangai) and SUN Minimeal Team (Ariel Chavez Valle).

Designed as a sport with purpose at the heart of the series, Extreme E seeks to accelerate cultural and behavioural change. Racing For All exemplifies the very foundation from which the series was created, which is to inspire, break barriers and encourage positive action. Extreme E seeks to inspire and empower all individuals to be a part of motorsport, providing equal opportunity between genders, backgrounds and across cultures.

More details about the championship’s pioneering Racing for All programme are available here.

Tipping Point panels:

Extreme E hosted multiple Tipping Point panels throughout the Hydro X Prix. A firm fixture across X Prix race weekends, the Tipping Point series once again used its platform to deliver engaging talks on a number of climate issues, provoking discussion around environmental concerns and sustainable alternatives.

The thought leadership talks in Scotland were wide-ranging and, led by the championship’s Director of Impact, Julia Wall-Clarke, along with the series’ Scientific Committee, focused on the following topics:

• ‘Hydro Pump Storage: Revolutionising Energy Storage for a Sustainable Future’, with a guest speaking appearance from Richard Thompson, Partner, Foresight and Co-Fund Manager of Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners
• Vodafone Business: Driving innovation and impact with Extreme E
• 'All hands in motorsport: heralding a new generation of talent', with guest speakers George Imafidon MBE and James Dornor, CEO of Driven By Us, focusing on diversity and inclusion
• ‘The River Nith: cornerstone of the global Atlantic salmon population’
• ‘Shaping Sustainable Supply Chains’ supported by EY

Welcoming Scottish rallying royalty:

For Round 3 at the Hydro X Prix a motorsport legend heralding from Scotland made a welcome visit to the Extreme E paddock.

The championship welcomed Jimmy McRae, five-time British Rally champion and father of World Rally Championship stars Colin and Alister, to the Hydro X Prix to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the pioneering racing series.

McRae was given the honour of presenting the Round 3 winners trophies to Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor, which were warmly received by the victorious E.ON Next Veloce Racing stars, and spent plenty of time catching up with familiar faces across the championship including Carlos Sainz.