(Motorsports news) Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Johan Kristoffersson reached the top step of the podium for Rosberg, despite the latter finding himself off-track at the start of the Grand Final of Extreme E. Finishing second in the race, RXR inherited the win after on-course winners No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing received a 15.7-second penalty for a Switch Zone infringement.
Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing, said: “It feels great to take the win today! I didn’t have the best start in the Grand Final, and with all the teams choosing the same line, it was a tight squeeze. Unfortunately, I hit the bushes and had a huge impact. I came to a complete stop because I didn’t know if there were any stones in the bush, but I made it out, and my tactic after that was to drive as fast as I could, and I managed to pick up the pace.”
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Rosberg X Racing, said: “Johan [Kristoffersson] did an amazing job after that start, and I got good information from him in the Switch Zone, which meant I had a good run. Teamwork, as usual, made it great. I’m happy to hear that Catie [Munnings] is doing alright after the impact, as that is the most important thing. But happy to be back on the top step of the podium.”
Promoted to second were ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, who find themselves at the top of the championship standings having gained extra championship points for a Heat win in Qualifying, Extreme E and recording the quickest time in the Continental Traction Challenge.
The penalty dropped No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing down to third, marking a second podium of the season for RJ Anderson and Amanda Sorensen. In fourth were ABT CUPRA XE, who suffered a puncture early in the race which Sébastien Loeb and Klara Andersson nursed home for all important points.
Disappointment struck for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, as Catie Munnings’ ODYSSEY 21, running in second place on the final lap, entered a roll off the back of an overtake by Rosberg’s Åhlin-Kottulinksy. Munnings came away unscathed, but the team were out of the Grand Final.
Winners of the Redemption Race were Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor, gaining some crucial points to ensure that, despite losing the championship lead, Veloce Racing remain in contention.
Grand Final
The day’s action came to a head in an exciting Grand Final, which saw all five ODYSSEY 21s converge into the left-hand lane for the first time on this course. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Anderson emerged in front, ahead of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Timmy Hansen.
Behind them Sébastien Loeb managed to secure third, ahead of ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team’s Mattias Ekström. Meanwhile, RXR’s Kristofferson found himself off course in the bushes to the left as the cars ran out of room.
Ekström recovered well, hitting the brakes late to secure an overtake on Loeb, who continued to lose pace in his ABT CUPRA XE car due to a puncture. Kristoffersson soon took fourth from Loeb, closing in on the pack and getting ahead of Ekström as they entered the Switch Zone.
The front four were tightly packed as they left the Switch Zone, with Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Munnings running wide as she pushed to defend against Åhlin-Kottulinsky, with the Swede sensing second place for RXR.
Åhlin-Kottulinsky executed the crucial move on the final tour, pushing up the inside of Munnings’ ODYSSEY 21 on a tight left-hander. Following the contact between the two, the Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E car continued to slide wide, eventually entering a roll that would put the team out of contention for the podium and down to fifth.
No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Sorensen held onto the lead, but the team received a 15.7-second penalty for exiting their Switch Zone bay early. This dropped the American outfit into third place but marks back-to-back podiums for Sorensen and Anderson.
ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team finished third on-course but moved up to second following No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s penalty. This marks a third podium of the season for the Spanish team as they replace Veloce Racing at the top of the championship standings by two points.
ABT CUPRA XE came home in fourth to secure valuable points ahead of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E.
Laia Sanz, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “We have started the weekend really well. On pure pace today we would have even deserved a race victory. Although, given the grip that we had in the Grand Final, we will settle for second. It seemed like the Final was lost, but we knew how to fight and we are happy because we got something out of the situation. We are happy to take the lead in the championship of Extreme E.”
Mattias Ekström, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “We drove two very solid races in Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2 of Extreme E , with no big issues, just enjoying ourselves, and then for the Grand Final we had a difficult starting position. I immediately felt it was better to back off because we would have been amongst five cars in one lane. I took a conservative line and I was P4 after the first corner. “In the end, we are leading now by two points, but the championship is only halfway through. We need to continue pushing if we want to stay in the lead.”
Amanda Sorensen, No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, said: “RJ Anderson did a phenomenal job from the start to make it through to the front. He passed me a clean windshield and from there we held it down. Unfortunately, we had a penalty coming out of the Switch Zone. We crossed the line in P1 but stood on the podium in P3. Overall, we’re making steps in the right direction. Tomorrow is a new day and we’re going to go get them.”
RJ Anderson, No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing, said: “Back-to-back podiums in Extreme E for the team is great. We’ve been building and building all season. Not going to lie or hide the fact that it stings to cross the finish line first and receive a penalty. We keep getting better and stronger every round. Tomorrow is a new day. Sweep it under the rug, take this podium finish, and we’ll come back out tomorrow and see if we can earn the top step of the box.”
Redemption Race
Veloce Racing’s Kevin Hansen cut across early on the opening straight to take the lead of the race, with contact for Andreas Bakkerud in the JBXE ODYSSEY 21 as the teams came together in the narrow lane seeking the lead.
Fraser McConnell took the alternate line, slotting into third just behind NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Tanner Foust as the different tracks merged into one. Behind them, Carl Cox Motorsport’s Timo Scheider closed in on the tussling pair, while Bakkerud was unable to rejoin the fight and retired.
Despite the pressure from Scheider, McConnell soon pitched up the inside of the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team car, making contact with Foust and pushing him wide to take second place for X44 Vida Carbon Racing.
The Jamaican lost track position soon after, however, locking up as he missed the entry point for the Switch Zone. X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Cristina Gutiérrez exited the Switch Zone fourth, behind Carl Cox Motorsport’s Lia Block.
A clear run up front saw Molly Taylor cross the line first for Veloce Racing and bag some all-important championship points having failed to join their closest rivals in the Grand Final of Extreme E.
Second place went to NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team as Emma Gilmour fought hard to hold off Block on debut for Carl Cox Motorsport, who initially finished third but dropped to fourth following a 15.5-second penalty for a Switch Zone infringement.
Lia Block, Carl Cox Motorsport, said: “I enjoyed it a lot. Coming in I didn’t have high expectations for myself – a new series, new competitors, and a whole new car. The car was very cool and nothing like I’ve ever driven before.
“Today was hard, for sure. Free Practice yesterday was my only time in the car, so going into today I just had the mindset to try and do the best as possible. We ended P3 in the Redemption Race but unfortunately had a penalty coming out of the Switch Zone so we moved to fourth. The day went really well for me I think. I’m really enjoying Extreme E right now.”
X44 Vida Carbon Racing inherited third in the Redemption Race, with JBXE finishing fifth with a DNF having not made it much further than the start.
Also read: ACCOINA | SAINZ XE Team top a tightly-fought Qualifying in Round 5 at Island X Prix
