Pioneering racing series Extreme E has unveiled its latest course layout for this weekend’s Hydro X Prix in Scotland (13-14 July).
The Dumfries and Galloway location is renowned to be one of the most exhilarating on the Extreme E calendar, with changing terrains, gradients and undulations making it one of the toughest to master in the championship.
The new layout for Season 4 is no different, as the eight teams and 16 world class drivers get ready to race the ODYSSEY 21s once more in 2024.
The starting position is the same as last year, a jaw-dropping moment as each driver begins their two-lap stint in the former Glenmuckloch opencast coal mine. Racing off the line, the teams will jostle for position before turning a sharp right through Waypoint 1, before an immediate hard left through Waypoints 2 and 3 heading up the steep hill onto the grass moorlands for an all-new challenge.
From Waypoint 4 via a quick left, right flick to Waypoint 7, the hill climbs a staggering 100m in elevation, before the drivers are met with yet another change in track conditions as the course gradient becomes smoother, as well as wider and more open for teams to maximise the quickest lines for the ultimate lap time.
The majority of the 2.7km course is raced on the grassy terrain, however it would not be Extreme E without its jumps, and there are plenty of those to contend with which arrive at Waypoint 13 where the cars get some air time, and again at Waypoints 14 and 19 that both jump over a river channel. After safely navigating this challenging section, the ODYSSEY 21s will then sprint downwards into the former coal mine once more for their second lap or to the Switch Zone for the driver change.
As ever, being on the pace for the Continental Traction Challenge will be crucial. The team that sets the fastest time, a combination of both the male and female drivers’ fastest times, through the allocated sector will win the Continental Traction Challenge and earn two championship points. As a result, each team’s deployment of their ENOWA Hyperdrive, activated when the driver presses a button on their steering wheel for a short boost in power, will be pivotal.
Tamara Molinaro, Extreme E Championship driver, said: “I think it is going to be a very fun track for the drivers. The changeable weather in Scotland is definitely going to add a different dynamic this weekend and that should make it very interesting. There are different terrains, including grass, so there are sections which could get quite muddy during the Hydro X Prix and the drivers will have to be wary of making mistakes in those conditions when pushing hard.
“The jump sections will be really exciting behind the wheel and overall I think it is a great layout. You have to nail the opening corners, otherwise you will be compromised all the way up the steep climb into the grassy section of the course. You really have to focus on putting a strong lap together. After heading uphill, you are immediately into a technical part of the course and also still climbing. So there is a lot to get right on multiple terrains and will be crucial to overall lap time.
“It is so important when pushing to be focused, because braking a centimetre too late can be costly. We have seen that in Extreme E anywhere can be an overtaking possibility and I do not see that changing this weekend. We have amazing drivers in this series and I am sure they will be creating opportunities wherever possible.”
Extreme E’s spectacular return to racing action can be viewed on ITV3 in the UK, with both Grand Finals live from 1500-1700 BST, over both Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July. Outside of the UK, please visit here for broadcaster details.
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