Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took the win in Round 6 of Extreme E Season 3, marking back-to-back victories at the Island X Prix, co-organised and coordinated by the Automobile Club d’Italia and Regione Sardegna.
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Johan Kristoffersson reached the top step of the podium for the second time this weekend, becoming the first team to do so in the new double-header format.
The haul of championship points sees the team leapfrog Veloce Racing in the standings, with Nico Rosberg’s outfit now sitting just four points off the lead as we pass the halfway point of the season.
Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing, said: “We had a great weekend here in Sardinia, which seems to be a proper RXR Island. Yesterday we managed to take the win from a very tricky grid slot, and then today, we found ourselves in the same slot again but went for a different tactic, and when I saw a small gap I went for it. For a split second, I regretted it because there was no space, but I managed to get through, and from there, I managed the pace quite well.
“We also had a brilliant switch and managed to open that gap a bit more, and from there on, Mikaela [Åhlin-Kottulinksy] did a fantastic job bringing it home. Today was the perfect day winning all three of our races, and the car has been in perfect condition. A big thanks to the team, the mechanics and everyone for making this possible. It’s great to be back in the fight for the championship.”
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Rosberg X Racing, said: “Wow, what an epic weekend! We had really good pace all weekend, and the team worked so hard to get the car in the perfect shape every time. Today, I thought it would be hard at the start, but Johan [Kristoffersson] just did what Johan does best. When I took over, there was some pressure from Laia [Sanz] behind me, but I tried to keep it tidy and keep the lines. It just feels surreal to have two wins in Sardinia! It’s epic!”
Nico Rosberg, CEO and Founder of Rosberg X Racing, said: “The level of competition in Extreme E is world class, and so to win two races this weekend is absolutely epic. During yesterday’s Final we were last after the start and managed an incredible comeback, and today we were second to last but the others had a tangle and we managed to slip through. Huge driving from Johan [Kristoffersson] and Mikaela [Åhlin-Kottulinsky] means we’re now back in the championship battle.”
Runners-up once again were the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, who retain their lead at the top of the championship standings with 109 points having also stood on the second step of the podium in Round 5. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E completed the podium, after a sensational overtake at the death from Catie Munnings saw the team seize third from No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing.
Rounding out the top five were JBXE, with Andreas Bakkerud and Hedda Hosås reaching their first Grand Final of the 2023 campaign.
Winners of the Redemption Race were Klara Andersson and returning champion Sébastien Loeb, gaining a crucial eight points from today’s racing after a challenging double-header for ABT CUPRA XE.
Extreme E returns to action for Rounds 7 and 8 in September (16-17), with the location to be revealed soon.
Grand Final
Continuing their run of quick getaways at the green light, Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E looked to have secured the right line for the lead. As the cars came together in the narrow lane, however, Timmy Hansen found himself in the bushes to the left with a lot of work to do from the back of the pack.
Meanwhile RXR’s Kristoffersson, recognising the risk of being squeezed in the middle of the tussling ODYSSEY 21s, dropped back into fourth before surging through the clear space to take the lead in a spectacular strategy.
ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team’s Ekström hunted Kristoffersson down from second and was soon right in the Swede’s mirrors. RJ Anderson also closed the gap from third, giving Kristoffersson some breathing space as Ekström went on the defensive against the No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing driver.
Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Hansen excecuted his move round the outside of JBXE’s Hosås in quick fashion, allowing him to reel in the front three as the teams headed towards the Switch Zone.
The order remained unchanged after the driver change, with Laia Sanz pushing hard to take the lead from RXR’s Åhlin-Kottulinsky, but the Swede showed her experience and kept a comfortable lead to take RXR’s second victory of the season.
Running in fourth for the majority of her stint, Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Catie Munnings continued to slice the seconds off Amanda Sorensen in the No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing car. Fighting until the closing stages, Munnings pulled off the overtake in the final corner to secure third and Andretti Atltawkilat Extreme E’s second podium of the campaign.
Two championship points for achieving the quickest time through the Continental Traction Challenge softens the blow No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, while fifth for JBXE marks a season’s best so far for Jenson Button’s outfit.
Mattias Ekström, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “We drove a solid race, but in the end there was not enough for the win after an action-packed first corner. I thought for a short moment that it would end there, but I managed to get back on the road. Johan managed to pass me, so not much more to say. We were really fast, Laia did a good job and we finished second twice. We shouldn’t complain in this sport. We are leading the Championship and we can look forward to the last two races.”
Laia Sanz, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “I think we can be very happy with the weekend we did. We were really consistent. The Grand Final was a shame, though, because we had the pace to fight for the win, but there was so much mud on track that the moment you got closer you lost visibility. I think we drove very intelligently during the weekend, thinking about the Championship, and in the end I think it’s a great result.”
Catie Munnings, Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, said: “Very happy to take P3 – it was a really dramatic race right down to the wire. It was a really intense battle between myself and Amanda [Sorensen] – I saw so little in the end and I was just praying and putting it all on the line to try and get onto that podium. The team deserves it this weekend. We’ve had really good pace here and we’ve been working a lot to fix the car since yesterday. So I’m very happy overall and Timmy [Hansen] did a great job as always to climb back one of the places too.”
Timmy Hansen, Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, said: “I so nearly had the lead in the first corner. I was ahead for a moment after one tap, but the second tap was too hard and put me out in the bushes. I managed to overtake the JBXE car to move up from fifth to fourth, and I handed over to Catie [Munnings] in fourth place. She did an awesome job to catch up to Ganassi and made a last corner move that got us a podium, so I’m super happy.”
Redemption Race
On a mission of damage control, all teams except for Carl Cox Motorsport deployed their ENOWA Hyperdrives off the line to secure that all-important best launch.
NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Tanner Foust moved over to the right lane to avoid the tussling pack, but the tactic ultimately saw the American slot into fifth as Timo Scheider swept into fourth from the far-left lane for Carl Cox Motorsport.
Sébastien Loeb secured the lead for ABT CUPRA XE ahead of his former team X44 Vida Carbon Racing, with Veloce Racing’s Kevin Hansen in third.
With all five ODYSSEY 21s tightly bunched together, Foust charged up the inside line to pass Scheider and take fourth for NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team. Fraser McConnell attempted a similarly decisive move for the lead, but the X44 Vida Carbon Racing driver found himself sideways and fighting for control.
The teams entered the Switch Zone in this order, with Carl Cox Motorsport’s Scheider trailiing behind with a puncture. Following the driver change the front two began to pull away, but pushing hard Gutiérrez hit two Waypoint flags on her run and subsequently received a 20-second penalty.
ABT CUPRA XE’s Klara Andersson kept a cool head after a hard-fought weekend to take the race win, while the penalties for X44 Vida Carbon Racing dropped them from second on-course to third.
Championship contenders Veloce Racing inherited second and the extra championship points, which could prove crucial if ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team and RXR continue their recent formidable form.
Running in fourth, the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team dropped off the pace in the final stages, while Lia Block completed her stint for Carl Cox Motorsport in fifth, marking important time in the car for the 16-year-old debutant.
Post-race penalties were handed to NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team and Carl Cox Motorsport for causing a collision and using an extra tyre, respectively.
RESULTS
Grand Final
1. Rosberg X Racing 8:54.133
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team +2.444s
3. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +7.185s
4. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing +7.759
5. JBXE +13.028
Redemption Race
1. ABT CUPRA XE 08:41.225
2. Veloce Racing +2.031s
3. X44 Vida Carbon Racing +21.514s (PENALISED)
4. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +51.680s (PENALISED)
5. Carl Cox Motorsport +2:49.863mins (PENALISED)
Championship Standings
1. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 109 points
2. Rosberg X Racing: 105 points
3. Veloce Racing: 95 points
4. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 80 points
5. X44 Vida Carbon Racing: 59 points
6. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: 55 points
7. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team: 44 points
8. ABT CUPRA XE: 40 points
9. Carl Cox Motorsport: 26 points
10. JBXE: 26 points
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