This weekend a new kind of racing will be hitting our screens: Extreme E. The electric, off-road racing series will take place in extreme terrains over four continents. They aim to highlight the impact of climate change, advocate for gender equality, and champion sustainability, all whilst providing nail-biting, exhilarating entertainment.
Sustainability takes centre-stage
Unlike most motorsport, where eco-friendliness is often at odds with reality, Extreme E has sustainability at the core of its design. A repurposed Royal Mail cargo-passenger ship will act as the ‘floating paddock’ for the championship, transporting freight and infrastructure to each remote location, minimising Extreme E’s carbon footprint.
The car itself, named ODYSSEY 21, is an electric SUV and truly one of a kind. Capable of going from 0-62mph in less than 5 seconds, all while scaling challenging gradients, it is clear that we will be in for some thrilling races.
Equal representation, equal opportunities
“Hearing the format was like waking up on Christmas morning. It is a giant step in the right direction for motorsport as a whole. I have been looking forward to something like this my entire racing career!”
Katherine Legge, Extreme E Drivers’ Programme member
Each Extreme E team is made up of one female and one male driver. They will compete in two-lap races, with both team-members driving a lap each. In an ideal world, enforced action like this would not have to been needed but the reality is that gender equality has far from been achieved in motorsport. To see more non-cisgender men competing in professional motorsport, better representation must be encouraged. As Katherine Legge says, "Extreme E is taking a step in the right direction".
X Prix race weekend format
Each race weekend will comprise two days of ‘all-action, short, sharp wheel-to-wheel racing’, with a unique challenge provided by each of the five race locations: Desert, Ocean, Arctic, Amazon, and Glacier. On Saturday, teams will take part in two rounds of qualifying. Sunday then boasts four races: The Shoot Out, The Crazy Race, The Semi-Final and The Final, with three cars competing in each race. We may not know exactly what to expect but Extreme E is sure to thrill, all while putting the climate change at the forefront of people’s minds - where it should be.
From the 3rd-4th April 2021, Extreme E will be racing in the desert terrain of Saudi Arabia. For fans watching from the UK and Europe, most of the action for the first X Prix will take place in the morning so set your alarm! Qualifying Round 1 begins on Saturday 3rd April at 09:00 Saudi time (6:00 BST).
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