Rosberg X Racing (RXR) maintained their ominous form to finish as top qualifier once again in the second part of the NEOM Island X Prix double-header.
After dominating Q1, leading the pack by more than 10 seconds, Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky achieved their second perfect Qualifying run of the week as they came first in Q1 and Q2, heading into Semi-Final 1.
The other five-car Heat saw ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team take the maximum score from Q2. It was marked by a fantastic recovery performance from Carlos Sainz Snr., after returning to the course days after the Spaniard was on the receiving end of a huge crash in the NEOM Island X Prix I Final.
Sainz Snr. and team-mate Laia Sanz’s win gave them ten points meaning, combined with their eighth-place finish in Q1, they finished fourth in the standings and also head into Semi-Final 1.
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, RXR, said: “I think this was the best qualifying session for me since I started in Extreme E, so this day was epic. Johan and I prepared intensely yesterday, and the team worked very hard on the car after our impact in the first event, so I am glad that it all worked out in our favour.”
Johan Kristoffersson, RXR, added: “I am very happy with our performance. It was quite slippery on the track, so I took it steady until Sebastien [Loeb] used his hyperdrive at Waypoint 20. We only had a small gap on him, but I was very confident when I handed over to Mikaela. She is a phenomenal driver and I am truly impressed with her performance. Tomorrow will be great.”
The first Heat saw the male drivers from all five teams take to the start line, setting the scene for dramatic battles as Loeb and Kristoffersson lined up alongside each other, with the Hansen brothers also ready to get their elbows out for victory.
The pack split in two at the start, with RXR, X44 and JBXE taking the left line while XITE ENERGY Racing’s Timo Scheider took on Timmy Hansen in the Genesys Andretti United Extreme E car on the alternate route.
With both Scheider and Hansen quick off the line it wasn’t long before there was contact between them, as Scheider clipped Hansen’s rear right wheel resulting in a spin for the Swede.
The damage to Hansen’s ODYSSEY 21 caused by the racing incident put Genesys Andretti United Extreme E out of the Heat and into ninth place in Qualifying overall, putting them into the Crazy Race.
The first lap did not disappoint, as Kristoffersson surged into the lead with the help of his ENOWA Hyperdrive. The Swede was unable to shake off the X44 car though, as Loeb was all over the back of the leading RXR throughout the 7km lap with Hansen close behind for JBXE.
Cristina Gutiérrez picked up the chase for X44, right on Åhlin-Kottulinsky’s tail as the two left the Switch Zone. Once the pit limiters were off, Åhlin-Kottulinsky pulled away leaving Gutierrez to cross the line in second place.
X44 received a 15-second penalty for leaving the Switch Zone too soon, but they still had enough of a margin to retain second place, meaning they finished overall Qualifying in second and will compete in Semi-Final 2.
Further down the field, XITE ENERGY Racing’s Tamara Molinaro continued to demonstrate impressive pace as she passed JBXE’s Hedda Hosas to take third in the Heat. This puts XITE eighth overall, while JBXE end Qualifying seventh in the standings, meaning both teams will compete in the Crazy Race.
The start of the second Heat followed a similar pattern to Heat 1, as three teams took the left line, led by No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle LeDuc.
Some aggressive driving from Sainz Snr., though, saw ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team storm to the front ahead of LeDuc. Behind them NEOM McLaren Extreme E’s Tanner Foust somehow managed to squeeze in front of ABT Cupra XE’s Nasser Al-Attiyah as the team’s headed into the narrow part of the course, closely followed by Veloce Racing’s Christine GZ in fifth.
The leading duo pulled away from the pack, but in his aggressive pursuit of Sainz Snr., Leduc dropped his ODYSSEY 21 over a jump and drifted off course. LeDuc rejoined the race in fourth place, behind the battling Foust and Al-Attiyah.
Emma Gilmour and Jutta Kleinschmidt took over the fight in second and third, respectively after the driver change, but it was not enough to trouble ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team’s Sanz who maintained a comfortable lead, securing first place in Heat 2.
The order on track was unchanged after the driver switch, but penalties incurred for No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing after missing a waypoint flag and for exiting the Switch Zone too soon, meant they dropped to fifth in the Heat and into Semi-Final 1.
NEOM McLaren Extreme E and ABT CUPRA XE will both compete in Semi-Final 2, while Veloce Racing complete the line-up for tomorrow’s Crazy Race.
With the Finals day of the NEOM Island X Prix II, co-organised by the Automobile Club d’Italia and Regione Sardegna, find out where you can watch the action here.
Q2 Results:
Heat 1:
1. Rosberg X Racing 9:12:199
2. X44 +23.225 (penalised)
3. XITE ENERGY Racing +23.277
4. JBXE +31.238
5. Genesys Andretti United Extreme E DNF
Heat 2:
1. ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team 9:22:515
2. NEOM McLaren Extreme E +4.719
3. ABT CUPRA XE +13.182
4. Veloce Racing +29.363
5. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing +50.261 (penalised)
Having completed both rounds of Qualifying, Intermediate Classification points were awarded as follows:
1. Rosberg X Racing – 20 points
2. X44 – 16 points
3. NEOM McLaren Extreme E – 15 points
4. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team – 13 points
5. NO.99 Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing – 11 points
6. ABT CUPRA XE – 11 points
7. JBXE – 8 points
8. XITE Energy Racing – 8 points
9. Genesys Andretti United Extreme E – 6 points
10. Veloce Racing – 5 points
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