Motorsports news) Coming out on top in Q2 Heat 1 and second in Q1 Heat 2, Laia Sanz and Mattias Ekström also set the fastest time in the Continental Traction Challenge to reach the top of the Qualifying standings.
Joining the Spanish outfit in the Grand Final are Rosberg X Racing (RXR) and Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, with all three teams tied on 18 points after a Heat win and a second place in Qualifying each.
Finishing fourth in Qualifying overall for a spot in the Grand Final is No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, who claimed a Heat win in Qualifying 2 after a comfortable third place in the first Qualifying session. Rounding out the line-up for the Grand Final are ABT CUPRA XE, with second place in Q1 Heat 1 and third in Q2 Heat 2.
The remaining five teams, including current championship leaders Veloce Racing, will fight it out in the Redemption Race to determine sixth to tenth place in the Round 5 standings.
Qualifying 1 Heat 1:
A strong launch from Johan Kristoffersson saw Nico Rosberg’s outfit take an early lead at the start of Heat 1, closely followed by the returning Sébastien Loeb for ABT CUPRA XE and JBXE’s Andreas Bakkerud. Fraser McConnell, who took an alternate route off the start, snatched fourth from Carl Cox Motorsport’s Timo Scheider.
Scheider was keen to make up ground, but in attempting to pass McConnell caused bodywork damage to the left-hand side of the Jamaican’s ODYSSEY 21, who managed to hold position.
RXR kept the lead following the driver change ahead of ABT CUPRA XE, with Lia Block leaping up to third on an impressive debut run for Carl Cox Motorsport as the front three remained unchanged across the finish line.
Cristina Gutiérrez executed an excellent overtake using her ENOWA Hyperdrive on JBXE’s Hedda Hosås to take fourth for X44 Vida Carbon Racing. Gutiérrez continued her charge, however, in attempting to pass Carl Cox Motorsport’s Block, the Spaniard hit a Waypoint flag and the subsequent 10-second penalty dropped the Season 2 champions down to fifth.
Qualifying 1 Heat 2:
As the five teams concertinaed together off the start it was Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Timmy Hansen who took the lead, closely followed by Ekström in second for the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team and Veloce Racing’s Kevin Hansen in third.
The top three remained close together, while Tanner Foust made a forceful move down the inside of No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s RJ Anderson at Waypoint 10 to take fourth.
Punctures for both Veloce Racing and NEOM McLaren Extreme E caused them to drop down the order in the Switch Zone, and they finished the Heat fourth and fifth, respectively, after changing tyres.
As Munnings took over for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E she was able to pull out a significant gap over Sanz for ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team to take the Heat win. Behind the leading duo, Amanda Sorensen stayed out of trouble to take third for No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing.
Qualifying 2 Heat 1:
ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team’s Sanz surged to the front from the middle of the pack, while Veloce Racing’s Taylor took the alternate racing line from the far right of the grid, flying through the clear air to slot into second slightly ahead of RXR’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky.
Carl Cox Motorsport’s Block veered hard off-course to the right as the teams came back together, dropping to the back of the pack behind X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Gutiérrez as the Spaniard closed in on the now third-placed Taylor.
Gutiérrez succeeded in passing Taylor as the teams entered the Switch Zone, but following the driver change Veloce Racing’s Hansen was soon all over the back of McConnell. The Swede managed to force his way through on the inside with an aggressive manoeuvre to take third place ahead of X44 Vida Carbon Racing.
The teams crossed the line in this order, meaning Veloce Racing and X44 Vida Carbon Racing will battle it out in the Redemption Race alongside Carl Cox Motorsport, as the latter crossed the line in fifth.
Up ahead a confident drive from Ekström secured the Heat win for ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team ahead of RXR’s Kristoffersson, putting both teams through to the Grand Final.
Qualifying 2 Heat 2:
All teams deployed the ENOWA Hyperdrive as they pushed for the best start off the line, and it was No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Sorensen who took the lead after some wheel-to-wheel tension with Andersson for ABT CUPRA XE.
Off the back of a strong performance in Qualifying 1, Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Munnings shut the door on JBXE’s Hosås, who joined the pack from the alternate line to the right. A slow start for the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team saw Emma Gilmour running in fifth.
Clean runs from all teams saw the order unchanged heading into the Switch Zone, but a slow driver change for ABT CUPRA XE allowed Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E to jump ahead into second place.
Anderson picked up where his teammate left off, crossing the line comfortably ahead of the pack to take the Heat win for No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing. Joining the American team in the Grand Final are Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E and ABT CUPRA XE, after second place for Hansen and third place for Loeb in the Heat.
Q1 Heat 1:
1. Rosberg X Racing 8:41.725mins
2. ABT CUPRA XE +2.321s
3. Carl Cox Motorsport +14.939s
4. JBXE +16.953s
5. X44 Vida Carbon Racing +36.304s (PENALISED)
Q1 Heat 2:
1. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E 8:37.468mins
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team +9.305s
3. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing +19.229s
4. Veloce Racing +42.973s
5. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +1:48.907s
Q2 Heat 1:
1. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team 8:41.327mins
2. Rosberg X Racing +3.440s
3. Veloce Racing +6.134s
4. X44 Vida Carbon Racing +8.353s
5. Carl Cox Motorsport +17.355s
Q2 Heat 2:
1. No.99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing 8:53.300mins
2. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +6.684s
3. ABT CUPRA XE +8.960s
4. NEOM McLaren Extreme E +12.015s
5. JBXE +21.420s
Qualifying Standings:
1. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 18 points
2. Rosberg X Racing: 18 points
3. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: 18 points
4. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 16 points
5. ABT CUPRA XE: 14 points
6. Veloce Racing: 10 points
7. Carl Cox Motorsport: 8 points
8. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team: 6 points
9. X44 Vida Carbon Racing: 6 points
10. JBXE: 6 points
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