Extreme E: X44 Vida Carbon Racing top the timesheet

Extreme E: X44 Vida Carbon Racing top the timesheet in ISland X Prix Free Practice

Extreme E is all set to make a comeback in Sardinia this weekend as the Free Practice ahead of the Island X Prix commences today

(Motorsports news) Extreme E returned to action in Sardinia today for its third-double header of Season 3. The championship’s ten teams got to grips with the series’ quickest Sardinian course to date in Free Practice ahead of the Island X Prix, co-organised by the Automobile Club d’Italia and Regione Sardegna.

The 2.9-kilometer course provides a new set of challenges compared to Extreme E’s previous outings in the region. Still situated within the Capo Teulada military training area, in collaboration with the Italian Army, the Island X Prix course boasts plenty of overtaking opportunities and fast, sweeping sections for the ODYSSEY 21s to enjoy.

The 20 drivers got a feel for the exciting new course in Free Practice, competing not wheel-to-wheel with each other but against the elements as strong gusts and high temperatures buffeted the race site.

Fastest in Free Practice 2 were defending champions X44 Vida Carbon Racing with a time of 8:40.835mins. Off the back of victory in Round 3 at the Hydro X Prix, Cristina Gutiérrez and Fraser McConnell continued their strong form to set the quickest time of the day by just under eight seconds, overcoming technical issues that brought McConnell’s car to a stop in Free Practice 1.

Cristina Gutiérrez, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, said: “Free Practice 2 went very well. We tried different things from Free Practice 1, and we will check the data to try to improve the things that we can for tomorrow. Overall though, very happy with how today has been.”

After technical issues in FP1, ABT CUPRA XE set the second quickest time of the day in FP2 before being disqualified for weighing in under the minimum allowance. Defending champion Sébastien Loeb secured the quickest lap on his return to the championship, as the Frenchman steps in for Nasser Al-Attiyah for the Island X Prix.

Lia Block was on the pace from the start for Carl Cox Motorsport, as the Extreme E debutant set a time of 8:49.848mins alongside team-mate Timo Scheider to put the team second.

Coming in third was Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E after clean runs from Catie Munnings and Timmy Hansen demonstrated the form that earned the team a podium at the Hydro X Prix. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing finished fourth, maintaining the consistency that has seen them end each event in the Top 5 so far.

Behind fifth-placed JBXE was Veloce Racing. Setting the quickest time in FP1, the championship leaders then experienced issues on Molly Taylor’s stint in FP2 as multiple spins for the Australian pushed the team down the order. Current championship runners-up ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team also encountered trouble as they chased the quickest time in Free Practice, with the door of the team’s ODYSSEY 21 refusing to close ahead of Mattias Ekström’s stint.

Finding themselves near the back of the pack were Rosberg X Racing (RXR). Nico Rosberg’s outfit looked to hit the ground running having won two out of three Island X Prix, but Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky ran wide on her first lap in FP2 and the subsequent damage brought the RXR ODYSSEY 21 to a halt.

At the bottom of the timing sheet were NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team after disqualifications in both Free Practice sessions for weighing in under the minimum allowance.