X44 Vida Carbon Racing top an action-packed Qualifying

Finishing first in Heat 1 were defending champions X44 Vida Carbon Racing, as Cristina Gutiérrez and Fraser McConnell led the race from start to finish. Winners of Heat 2 were Season 1 champions Rosberg X Racing (RXR), who finished second overall with a slower time through the Continental Traction Challenge.

A crash for ABT CUPRA XE’s Klara Andersson in the opening stages of Heat 2 resulted in a red flag, while a second DNF in the Heat came from a mechanical issue for championship leaders Veloce Racing.

Also in the line-up for the Grand Final are No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing and Carl Cox Motorsport with second place in their respective Heats. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E complete the Grand Final grid.

The remaining five teams will fight it out in the Redemption Race to determine sixth to tenth place in the Round 3 standings.

Cristina Gutiérrez, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, said: “It’s great to finish first as we can go to the Grand Final and we can fight for everything!

“The biggest challenge is the conditions because all the time it’s changing and it’s totally different – so the most important thing is to adapt as much as possible our driving style in the moment that we are racing so it’s a double challenge. We need to be clever and not make mistakes because one mistake makes a lot of difference.

QUALIFYING 2 HEAT 1

Recognising the importance of the first corner ahead of a narrow section of the course, the teams tussled for position on the short opening stretch. Diving into the right-hander, X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Cristina Gutiérrez muscled her way to the front of the pack from the innermost line.

Launching from the other side of the start line was Amanda Sorenson for No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing. The American took the wide line into the corner and, avoiding contact with the teams battling in the middle, managed to secure second place heading into her two-lap stint.

ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team’s Laia Sanz slotted into third, with British talent Catie Munnings taking fourth for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E after a pass on JBXE’s Hedda Hosås as they exited the opening corner.

As Sanz closed in on Sorensen, Munnings kept the pair within reach and soon launched an aggressive overtake on the distracted Sanz. The Brit completed the manoeuvre just in time as the ODYSSEY 21s entered the steep descent down to the Switch Zone.

The intense racing saw plenty of ODYSSEY 21s riding two heels at the end of the third lap, as all five teams pushed for that all-important top three spot in the Heat needed to reach the Grand Final.

A smooth drive from X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser McConnell saw the Jamaican cross the line first as the team progresses into the Grand Final. Joining them are No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, entering their third Grand Final from three as RJ Anderson brought the team home in second place.

The quickest lap of the Heat came from Hansen as the Swede finished the Heat in third for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E. This proved crucial, as the team secured a quicker Continental Traction Challenge time than the third-placed team in Heat 2 to head into the Grand Final for the first time this season.

Finishing in fourth and fifth were Ekström and Andreas Bakkerud, meaning both ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team and JBXE will battle it out in the Redemption Race.

QUALIFYING 2 HEAT 2

In the fight for the remaining spots in the Grand Final, Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky got a good start for RXR to put the team ahead of the pack. Behind her, Carl Cox Motorsport’s Timo Scheider and ABT CUPRA XE’s Klara Andersson went wheel-to-wheel in pursuit of second place.

As the track narrowed the ODYSSEY 21s only got closer, and the ABT CUPRA XE car entered a barrel roll as it ran out of room. Andersson came away unscathed as the session was red flagged.

Klara Andersson, ABT CUPRA XE, said: “Physically I’m ok, but I'm upset. The mechanics have been working all weekend repairing the car from NEOM, and now we are in trouble again and nothing we can do.

“I was on my way to pass and there was no room. I'm very frustrated as we followed the plan but if there's no room there's nowhere for me to go.”

Running in fourth, NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Tanner Foust avoided the incident, while behind him a mechanical issue for Veloce Racing’s Molly Taylor saw her veer off-course. While the Australian recovered, the damage to the car brought the championship leaders to a stop out on course, meaning they enter the Redemption Race alongside their rivals, the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team.

Heat 2 resumed from the start line, with the three remaining teams setting off at intervals matching those when the session was flagged. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Foust used his ENOWA Hyperdrive from the outset to close the gap on Scheider in the Carl Cox Motorsport ODYSSEY 21.

The American set up team-mate Emma Gilmour as best as he could, as the other drivers took over for the final two laps of the Heat. However, in their push to make up time, the team received a 5-second penalty for being too far out of their bay in the Switch Zone.

Despite a valiant drive from Gilmour, which saw her pass Christine GZ on the uphill Traction Challenge sector, the New Zealander was unable to build enough of a lead to retain second after the penalty was applied. The NEOM McLaren Extreme E will enter the Redemption Race as their combined time in the Continental Traction Challenge is slower than that of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E.

An untroubled run for RXR saw Johan Kristoffersson finish Heat 2 in first, taking the team through to the Grand Final alongside Carl Cox Motorsport.

The Grand Final and Redemption Race can be viewed live on STV and ITV in the UK from 1300-1500 BST. Outside of the UK, please visit here for broadcaster details.

RESULTS

Q2 Heat 1:
1. X44 Vida Carbon Racing 09:50.935
2. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing +6.203
3. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +8.191
4. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team +10.744
5. JBXE +31.551

Q2 Heat 2:
1. Rosberg X Racing 42:43.301
2. Carl Cox Motorsport +20.971
3. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +24.215 (PENALISED)
4. Veloce Racing DNF
5. ABT CUPRA XE DNF

Overall Qualifying Standings:
1. X44 Vida Carbon Racing: 10 points
2. Rosberg X Racing: 10 points
3. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 8 points
4. Carl Cox Motorsport: 8 points
5. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: 6 points
6. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team: 6 points
7. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 4 points
8. Veloce Racing: 4 points
9. JBXE: 2 points
10. ABT CUPRA XE: 2 points