No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing and ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team win Qualifying 1 Heats

Qualifying 1 Heat 1

As Round 4 Qualifying 1 of the Hydro X Prix double-header got underway, the teams in Heat 1 charged up the opening straight.

Round 3 winners X44 Vida Carbon Racing shut the door on Rosberg X Racing (RXR, as Fraser McConnell and Johan Kristoffersson approached the inside of the first corner.

Using the same line that served them well in yesterday’s Qualifying 2, No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing swung around the outside of the pack, and this time RJ Anderson took the lead out of Waypoint 1.

McConnell’s tactics saw him slot into second, with Kristoffersson behind and ABT CUPRA XE’s Nasser Al-Attiyah in hot pursuit from fourth. Round 3 podium finishers Carl Cox Motorsport ran in fifth with Christine GZ.

Just over five seconds separated the front three as they entered the Switch Zone, but an issue for X44 Vida Carbon Racing saw Cristina Gutiérrez exit the bay in fourth behind RXR’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and ABT CUPRA XE’s Klara Andersson.

The Spaniard fought hard to regain third place, closing in on Andersson throughout their two-lap stint. Gutiérrez soon succeeded with a bold overtake up the inside as the pair launched over a jump.

A smooth drive from Amanda Sorensen up front secured the win for No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, while Åhlin-Kottulinsky brought the RXR ODYSSEY 21 home in second.

X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Gutiérrez finished third on-course, while Andersson eased her car over the line in fourth for ABT CUPRA XE with a puncture.

Post-race the stewards identified that contact from Gutiérrez as she looked to overtake Andersson caused the puncture, and returned third place to ABT CUPRA XE, with X44 Vida Carbon Racing slotting back into fourth ahead of Carl Cox Motorsport.

Qualifying 1 Heat 2

A strong start for ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team saw Mattias Ekström dominate the inside line to take the lead out of the opening corner.

Behind, Veloce Racing’s Kevin Hansen held his ground to keep second place, while the Swede’s brother Timmy stormed ahead of JBXE to take third for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E.

Tanner Foust also managed to overtake JBXE’s Andreas Bakkerud to take fourth in the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team car, ahead of the steep incline out of the quarry.

The front three looked strong until Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Hansen entered a spin. The Swede struggled to get the ODYSSEY 21 going again, re-joining the race nearly a minute off the front after switching drive mode.

Up ahead, Foust was closing the gap on Veloce Racing’s Hansen, and soon stole second as the Veloce Racing ODYSSEY 21 struggled with a bent drive shaft.

Following the driver change, the front three left the Switch Zone untroubled, but JBXE and Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E were far off the pace as they exited in fourth and fifth respectively.

ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team’s Laia Sanz crossed the line comfortably first, lapping Catie Munnings as the Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E car fought to keep going. Emma Gilmour retained second place for the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team.

Molly Taylor kept third for Veloce Racing, despite a 10-second penalty for the team when Hansen hit a Waypoint flag as he pushed to stay ahead of NEOM McLaren Extreme E’s Foust.

Technical issues saw JBXE crawl home in fourth with Hedda Hosås behind the wheel, while Catie Munnings nearly caught up with the crippled JBXE car but ended the Heat in fifth.

RESULTS

Q1 Heat 1:

1. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing 10:07.156
2. Rosberg X Racing +9.968
3. ABT CUPRA XE +21.564
4. X44 Vida Carbon Racing +13.458 (change of track position)
5. Carl Cox Motorsport +23.618

Q1 Heat 2:

1. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team 10:13.931
2. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +4.073
3. Veloce Racing +35.251 (PENALISED)
4. JBXE +2:45.950
5. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +1 LAP

Intermediate Qualifying Standings:

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