A thrilling Round 3 of qualifying is won by X44 Vida Carbon Racing

Qualifying 2 at the Hydro X Prix was the deciding round for entry into the Round 3 Grand Final

(Motorsport) The defending champions X44 Vida Carbon Racing won Heat 1 as Cristina Gutiérrez and Fraser McConnell took the lead early on and maintained it throughout. Rosberg X Racing (RXR), the Season 1 champions, won Heat 2. Despite placing second overall in the Continental Traction Challenge, they had a slower time in Heat 2.

A red flag was raised in Heat 2 after Klara Andersson of ABT CUPRA XE crashed, and championship leaders Veloce Racing experienced a second DNF due to a mechanical issue.

The No.99 GMC HUMMER EV is also scheduled to compete in the Grand Final. In their respective Heats, Chip Ganassi Racing and Carl Cox Motorsport came in second. The Grand Final grid is completed by the Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E.

To decide sixth through tenth position in the Round 3 standings, the remaining five teams will compete against one another in the Redemption Race.

Cristina Gutiérrez, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, said: “It’s great to finish first as we can go to the Grand Final and we can fight for everything!

“The biggest challenge is the conditions because all the time it’s changing and it’s totally different – so the most important thing is to adapt as much as possible our driving style in the moment that we are racing so it’s a double challenge. We need to be clever and not make mistakes because one mistake makes a lot of difference.

Qualifying 2 Heat 1

The teams fought for position on the little opening stretch as they realised how crucial the first corner was before a constrained section of the race. Cristina Gutiérrez of X44 Vida Carbon Racing pushed her way to the head of the pack from the innermost line by diving into the right-hander.

Amanda Sorenson, driving the No.99 GMC HUMMER EV for Chip Ganassi Racing, took off from the opposite side of the starting line. Taking a wide line into the corner, the American managed to avoid collision with the teams battling in the middle and hold onto second place going into her two-lap stint.

Laia Sanz of the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team finished third, and British driver Catie Munnings of the Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E took fourth after passing Hedda Hoss of the JBXE as they were coming out of the first corner.

Sanz approached Sorensen from behind, but Munnings kept the two within striking distance and eventually began an aggressive overtake on the disoriented Sanz. Just as the ODYSSEY 21s began their steep descent down to the Switch Zone, the Brit finished the manoeuvre.

At the conclusion of the third lap of the thrilling racing, many ODYSSEY 21s were riding two heels as all five teams battled for the top three spots in the Heat necessary to advance to the Grand Final.

Fraser McConnell of X44 Vida Carbon Racing crossed the finish line first thanks to a smooth drive, and the team now advances to the Grand Final. They are joined by the No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, who are competing in their third Grand Final overall after finishing second in their first two.

Hansen completed the Heat’s fastest lap and placed third overall for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E. This was vital since it allowed the team to advance to the Grand Final for the first time this season by posting a faster Continental Traction Challenge time than the third-placed team in Heat 2.

Ekström and Andreas Bakkerud came in fourth and fifth, respectively, which means that ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team and JBXE will compete in the Redemption Race.

QUALIFYING 2 HEAT 2

Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky got RXR off to a strong start in the competition for the remaining berths in the Grand Final. This helped the team pull away from the competition. Timo Scheider of Carl Cox Motorsport and Klara Andersson of ABT CUPRA XE engaged in a wheel-to-wheel battle for second position behind her.

The ABT CUPRA XE car entered a barrel roll as it ran out of room as the circuit tightened and the ODYSSEY 21s only grew closer. Despite the session being flagged, Andersson was unharmed.

The three remaining teams began Heat 2 at the starting line, taking out at intervals that matched those at the end of the session. In the Carl Cox Motorsport ODYSSEY 21, Foust of the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team used his ENOWA Hyperdrive to narrow the deficit on Scheider right away.

The other drivers took over for the final two laps of the Heat, and the American did his best to position teammate Emma Gilmour. The team was given a 5-second penalty for being too far outside of their cell in the Switch Zone during their attempt to catch up on time, though.

Gilmour put out a heroic effort to pass Christine GZ on the steep Traction Challenge sector, but she was unable to gain enough of a lead to hold onto second place once the penalty was assessed. Given that their total time in the Continental Traction Challenge was slower than that of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team will compete in the Redemption Race.

Johan Kristoffersson had a trouble-free run for RXR, winning Heat 2 and advancing the team, along with Carl Cox Motorsport, to the Grand Final.

In the UK, STV and ITV will broadcast the Grand Final and Redemption Race live from 1300 to 1500 BST. Please click here for information about broadcasters outside of the UK.

RESULTS

Q2 Heat 1:

1. X44 Vida Carbon Racing 09:50.935

2. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing +6.203

3. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +8.191

4. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team +10.744

5. JBXE +31.551

Q2 Heat 2:

1. Rosberg X Racing 42:43.301

2. Carl Cox Motorsport +20.971

3. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +24.215 (PENALISED)

4. Veloce Racing DNF