Extreme E confirms deal with Hungary's leading broadcaster, TV2
Extreme E, the all-electric off-road racing series, has today confirmed Hungary’s leading entertainment station, TV2 will broadcast all five of this season’s X Prixs on its free to air linear channels, TV2, SuperTV2, Spiler 1 and Spiler 2. In addition, the Budapest-based broadcaster will also air Extreme E’s race highlights, review and magazine shows – all in Hungarian – and coverage will also be available on its digital platforms, www.tv2.hu and www.spilerextra.hu.
Like many parts of the world, Hungary has its own environmental issues, including the need to improve energy efficiency and address air, soil and water pollution, both of which could be helped by the faster adoption of electric vehicles, which Extreme E hopes to support by showcasing the capabilities of e-mobility through motorsport.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “TV2 is well-known as Hungary’s top entertainment channel so we are delighted that it will be broadcasting Extreme E’s exciting racing concept as well as airing the vital environmental cause behind the series.
“Hungarians clearly have concerns about environment and the need to change behaviour to reduce carbon emissions, which is one of Extreme E’s key messages. Coupled with the championship’s race format and gender equal platform, I am confident TV2’s audiences will fully engage not only with the racing, but also the wider storytelling around electrification and the need for all of us to take care of our planet.”
Gabor Fischer, Director of Programming, TV2 Group: “The world of motorsport is changing extremely fast. Extreme E is a brand new series with a clear purpose: to highlight the problems caused by the global climate change. We are very proud that we can broadcast this highly innovative championship in Hungary as the partner of Extreme E. The events themselves will be broadcasted on our sports channels, Spiler 1 and Spiler 2, while the magazine programme, complete with behind-the-scenes footage will be shown on our main free-to-air commercial channel, TV2. We are especially delighted to have Zoltan Szujo on board, the best known motorsport pundit in Hungary, who will be the host and the voice of our Extreme E coverage."
Extreme E will visit five remote locations highlighting a variety of environmental issues including, desertification, rising sea levels, glacier retreat, deforestation and ice melt. The series hopes to raise awareness of the climate emergency by mixing sport with purpose to inspire change.
Extreme E’s first X Prix will take place in just 33 days in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. Some of the biggest names in motorsport have founded teams including Formula One World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg with teams X44 and Rosberg X Racing respectively. Fellow Formula One star Jenson Button has not only founded a team – JBXE – but will also be behind the wheel.
The championship stipulates that each team must field both a male and female driver – a world-first in motorsport – in a bid for gender equality and a level playing field. The drivers, which include the likes of Carlos Sainz, Sébastien Loeb, Molly Taylor and Jamie Chadwick, will race an all-electric SUV – the ODYSSEY 21 – which is capable of firing the 1650-kilogram, 2.3-metre wide e-SUV from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, at gradients of up to 130 per cent.
These cars, and the rest of the championship’s freight are currently at sea on the championship’s floating centrepiece, the St. Helena. The series chose a ship as sea travel is less carbon intensive than air freight, but not only that, it also provided the opportunity to conduct research into various areas of the marine environment during the global voyage in its on-board science laboratory, which will be home to a number of scientists during its year long voyage.
Extreme E’s inaugural race is in AlUla, Saudi Arabia (3-4 April), followed by Lac Rose, Senegal (29-30 May), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (28-29 August), Pará, Brazil (23-24 October) and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (11-12 December).