After Jutta Kleinschmidt was forced to withdraw from the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix through injury, Championship Driver Klara Andersson stepped up to partner Nasser Al-Attiyah for ABT CUPRA XE in Chile. It was a debut to remember for the Swede, who marked her maiden X Prix with a podium finish.
We caught up with Andersson to find out more about her memorable Extreme E debut.
Extreme E: You were thrown in at the deep end in Chile – when did you find out you would be driving?
Klara Andersson: I found out on Friday evening. From there, I spent a few hours with the Extreme E team and ABT CUPRA XE to get all the information and knowledge about the car and championship format – and the next morning, I was in the car for Qualifying 1!
XE: Did your previous experience driving the ODYSSEY 21 prepare you in any way or did you have to learn from scratch?
KA: It was over a year ago since I last drove the ODYSSEY 21, and that was only a few laps at the Rookie Test with the old dampers. I was pleasantly surprised though, over how good it felt almost immediately! The team supported me a lot and helped me find the pace quickly.
XE: How supportive were the ABT CUPRA XE team from the very start of the weekend?
KA: They are a very professional team who welcomed me incredibly well. It was really nice to work with them throughout the weekend and I learnt a lot. They didn’t put any pressure on me, but coached me to become quicker and quicker out on the course.
XE: You seemed to be on the pace straight away – was that expected?
KA: Not at all – as I said I was pleasantly surprised, which was a great feeling! Since I’ve only driven the ODYSSEY 21 over a handful of laps, one year ago, I didn’t know what to expect, especially since many of the drivers have been driving since the very first event last year.
In Qualifying 1, I made sure to take everything as calmly as I could, while in Qualifying 2 it was great to have a bit of a battle with the other cars out there to secure our place in the Semi-Finals.
XE: Did you prefer the wheel-to-wheel racing compared to the time trial format given your rallycross experience?
KA: Yes I did! I feel comfortable with cars around me, and it’s easier to see where you gain and lose the pace.
I also made sure to have a game plan when going out in the heats!
XE: You certainly made a huge impression in Semi Final 2 with a great overtake on Sara Price – was that the highlight of the week? How did you find grip where others did not?
KA: That was for sure one of the highlights! I planned that move after lap one and thankfully, got good speed over the crest to dive on the inside down the hill. I knew that it was important for me to hand over to Nasser [Al-Attiyah] running in the top two positions, so I was proud that I took the opportunity for the overtake. I was so happy!
XE: It was a dramatic Final – how did you find it?
KA: I unfortunately struggled a lot with vision in the Final. The water fluid was out and the screen was filled with mud, otherwise I think we would have a shot at progressing even more in the Final! Nevertheless, it was great to secure third place and my first podium.
XE: You managed to grab that maiden podium first time out! How does that feel and where does it rank among your motorsport highlights?
KA: It was an amazing feeling when we got the news that we were P3! Everyone in the team were working super hard throughout the weekend, and I was so happy for everyone to finish on a high, especially after what happened to Jutta [Kleinschmidt], that we could come back and finish strong together as a team.
My whole family were watching from Sweden and they were super happy! You only get one chance as a driver sometimes to show your pace, so I hope this has shown what I can do.
XE: What’s next for you in Extreme E?
KA: Hopefully I will race again soon – you never know! I would love to be a part of Extreme E in the future.
The final round of Extreme E Season 2 gets underway in Punta del Este, Uruguay, on 26-27 November 2022.
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