Motor Sports
Electric off-road motorsport series Extreme E expands broadcast reach to Russia with Motorsport TV
Extreme E has officially confirmed today that Motorsport TV Russia will broadcast the electric SUV motorsport X Prixs which will include magazine shows, race highlights, reviews and previews in English and Russian.
Motorsport TV Russia is a subsidiary of Motorsport Network, a platform for motorsport lovers that allows subscribers to access over 125 series, 1000 live events and 3000 hours of on demand content including Extreme E and Formula E.
As one of the countries most vulnerable due to climate change, Russia has seen an increased interest in electric mobility. The country has set a new record of electric car sales for the second year running, outpacing Scandinavian countries. Compared to 2019, the last year saw a 95% increase in electric car vehicle sales, partly due to custom import duties being removed from EV vehicles as well as increased awareness of environmental concerns.
In a press release, Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “Extreme E is delighted to be reaching Russian audiences through Motorsport TV. Russia is a hugely important region for our series and coupled with the fact that there is an increasing interest in the EV sector here, makes me even more pleased to be bringing viewers our unique and thrilling electric racing package.
“By shining a spotlight on the environmental crisis through our sport for purpose series, we hope to not only raise awareness amongst audiences, but also highlight changes that can be made to live a less carbon-intensive lifestyle and protect our planet.”
Ksenia Bortova, Editor-in-Chief at Motorsport TV Russia, said: "We are very happy to broadcast Extreme E on our TV channel and spread the word about this amazing new championship to the Russian-speaking audience. I am sure that such a project will attract the attention of Russian fans and ecology supporters. It is clear that the topic of ecology and green energy is amongst the most important all over the world now while Russia covers about one-eighth of the world’s land surface.”
Extreme E’s ‘race without a trace’ has brought together some of the biggest names in motorsport such as Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button along with American motorsport legends such as Chip Ganassi and Michael Andretti. The series also features both male and female drivers in a bid to promote gender equality. The next race is the Arctic X Prix in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland from 28-29 August.
India needs more go-kart and racing tracks to promote motorsport - Parth Ghorpade, Indian racing driver
Living life in the fast lane is a thrill experienced by a very exclusive club of Indian racers. From Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok, Jehan Daruvawala and now Parth Ghorpade, motorsport may not be synonymous with the Indian subcontinent, but India is brimming with talent, waiting to showcase their skills if given the right platform and guidance.
In an exclusive interview with SPOGO, Indian motorsport driver Parth Ghorpade speaks about how he got involved with the sport, the various challenges that he faced, winning the F3 Car Test at the Ferrari Driver Academy, motorsport idols and memorable events, elevating Indian racing and future goals!
Q 1) You come from Kolhapur which isn't exactly a motorsporting city so how did your interest in this sport grow?
I always had a love for cars and used to watch Formula 1 races with my dad when I was a kid and there was actually a small rental track in Kolhapur. My dad also had a thing for cars and races which is why we started going to the track more and more often and it just clicked. That’s where it all started, because of a small go-to location in Kolhapur.
Q 2) What are the biggest challenges a racing driver has to overcome in order to pursue this sport professionally in India
Unlike Europe, the United States or other countries, India does not have many facilities for racing. The level of the sport is a lot higher in other countries and the facilities are a lot more sophisticated and professional as motorsport is one of their main sports. As those facilities don’t exist here, I had to go for testing to Europe and that was one of the main challenges that I faced. It’s an expensive process so funding was another challenge that I faced in my journey.
Q 3) Tell us about your experience winning the F3 car test at the Ferrari Driver Academy?
I got the drive because I won the Asian title at the Formula Pilota Championship. It’s a small track but Formula 1 cars are tested there and Maranello and Fiorano is the home of Ferrari so it’s a legendary circuit where every race car driver wants to test drive and be a part of that team. It was quite a good experience, the way they work and their facilities are amazing and it’s a dream come true to be at the homeground of one of the best Formula 1 teams in the world.
Q 4) Who were some of your motorsport idols while you were growing up? Which has been your most memorable race or victory so far?
There is an idol that I look up to but he’s not there with us anymore, his name is Ayrton Senna. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was a kid, but I used to see his videos because of my dad who also followed Formula 1. He’s one of the legends and he will always be my favourite. The most memorable moment for me would be the race in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the last race of the Asian Championship which started off with completely dry weather which then became a thunderstorm. Hardly any cars managed to finish that race because it was pouring and one of the drivers, Antonio Giovinazzi on the grid is now in Formula 1. That was one of the most memorable races I have ever had in my career so far.
Q 5) How much of a change has the Indian Grand Prix brought in the motor sporting ecosystem of India?
Right now, the Indian Grand Prix is not there but when they were it was a huge pickup for Indian motorsports and people came to know about it. Even though it had an impact, we need more tracks to come up and get some life back into motorsport in India.
Q 6) What are the areas you think India needs to address in order to elevate the level of India motorsports to that of Europe?
India needs more go-karting tracks, because that’s the best way to get more individuals to start racing. There needs to be more racing tracks as well, there is one in Chennai and another in Coimbatore but it would make it easier for Indian racers to do what they do in Europe right here in India instead of travelling all the way for testing. These would make a big difference to Indian motorsports.
Q 7) What are you next looking forward to and how do you plan to achieve your goals?
The last two years have just been deleted because of the pandemic but I’m looking forward to doing the Asian Le Mans and then the plan is to go to Europe for the European Le Mans. I also want to progress to the World Endurance Championship because it has more openings that helps you earn earlier compared to Formula 1 and single seaters. We just need to keep our heads high and do what we do best, work around this pandemic and keep moving on.
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok now finds seat on Motorsport UK Board of Directors
New Delhi, Jun 16 In a big honour for India's Karun Chandhok, the former Formula 1 driver was on Wednesday appointed to the Board of Directors of Motorsport UK, the governing body for four-wheel racing in the island nation.
Chandhok is one of the only two Indian drivers to have made it to Formula 1 with the other being Narain Karthikeyan.
The Chennai-born is also the first Indian to have raced in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is now a well-known commentator.
The 37-year-old is also a member of Motorsport UK’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and sits on its Racial Diversity Sub-Committee.
As a member of the FIA Drivers’ Commission – the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) of which Motorsport UK is a founding member – he is an advocate for the rights and views of drivers across the world, and he has been a Driver Representative on the FIA Single Seater Commission.
"I feel very honoured to be invited onto the Board of Motorsport UK. I moved to England from India nearly twenty years ago because the belief at the time was that if you wanted to get to Formula 1, you had to come and race in the UK as it was the capital of world motorsport.
"To now have the opportunity to work with the rest of the Board and the Motorsport UK organisation in shaping the future landscape of motorsport in the UK is very exciting," said Chandhok, who has become the governing body's youngest ever board member.
Motorsport UK Chair David Richards added said: "Karun is a respected and accomplished member of the motorsport community, whose wide-ranging experience from a variety of vantage points will be a major asset to Motorsport UK as we continue to grow and sustain the sport.
"In particular his values as a champion for a more equitable future for our sport will be a force for good as we ensure motorsport in the UK celebrates diversity and enables the full involvement of disadvantaged groups." News source PTI
Extreme E: South American races postponed
London: The innovative off-road racing series Extreme E on Friday confirmed that it is actively looking for alternate locations for the last two races in Season 1 due to the current COVID-19 situation in South America.
Extreme E was due to stage its Amazon X Prix at Pará in Brazil during October 23-24, before moving further south in Patagonia, Argentina to hold the Glacier X Prix on December 11-12. However after assessing the global situation with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision has been made to postpone touring the region until Season 2.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “We’ve been closely monitoring the situation regarding all Extreme E locations for 2021 and have chosen to make this preemptive decision on racing in South America this year. As a new series embarking on our opening Season, our priority is to deliver a five-race calendar of events which are safe and responsible for our global participants, partners and staff to travel to and attend.
“This was not a decision made lightly, however current travel advice and restrictions have also meant we have been unable to visit the race areas in advance to undertake the necessary reconnaissance visits, which are especially vital due to the remote nature of our operations.
“We will of course continue to support our important reforestation and agroforestry initiatives which are already well underway in the region thanks to the help of Dr Francisco Olivieira and our partnership with The Nature Conservancy in Brazil. We would also like to thank the local authorities in Brazil and Argentina who have been supportive throughout the whole process and we hope we can return in 2022.”
Alternative racing venues are currently being explored and will be confirmed in due course. Options include the possibility of the Western Isles, Scotland before Glasgow hosting COP26 in November.
The series has already concluded two of its five X Prixs in its maiden season – the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia and Ocean X Prix in Senegal – and is now preparing for its Arctic X Prix, to be held in Greenland at the end of August.
Extreme E, through each of its X Prix event uses its sporting platform to underline a different environmental issue our planet is facing, alongwith raising awareness about these problems and highlighting solutions leaving a long-lasting positive effect in its race locations through its Legacy Programmes.
McLaren Racing to join Extreme E in 2022
Electric off road racing series Extreme E has announced that McLaren Racing will be entering a team in 2022. They will join the five race global championship which will also help McLaren’s own sustainability and diversity agenda as well as grow the brand and franchise.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “Extreme E’s mission is to use sport to build awareness and accelerate clean technology innovations that benefit the mobility industry and beyond. To have McLaren on board, which symbolises the highest level of racing and automotive innovation, is a huge endorsement that what we have delivered in just our first two races of Season 1 has already created real impact in motorsport.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Zak and the powerhouse McLaren Racing team to Extreme E, and it’s safe to say, we can’t wait to see how the team performs in its first off-road, electric racing debut. Season 2 just got very exciting!”
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, commented: “From the moment Extreme E was announced we have been following the progress of the series closely. Our attention was immediately drawn by the innovative format of this motorsport platform, in particular the ability it gives us to accelerate and boost our own overarching sustainability agenda, which shares the same priorities of decarbonisation, waste reduction, diversity and equality.
“At the same time, it will enable us to reach a new audience with an innovative race format, connect with a new generation of fans through content served across a variety of channels and provide partners with a purpose-led competition platform to align with and share in a positive, powerful narrative.
“From the outset, McLaren has always been at the forefront and never afraid to push new boundaries. This new venture is true to our roots of participating in a variety of categories, innovation and bravery. Extreme E is paving new ground in motorsport as a force for good in confronting some of the biggest challenges facing our world today and in the future.
“While Formula 1 will always remain at the centre of our world, like INDYCAR and esports, our entry into Extreme E is additive to the McLaren Racing franchise and will complement and help support all our programmes. We will be competing against big names we’re very familiar with from F1 and INDYCAR but, like all series we compete in, the competition objective is clear: we are there to win.”
McLaren’s sustainability mission places carbon reduction, recycling, reuse and elimination of waste, diversity, equality and inclusion as objectives central to its core. They have supplied battery powertrains for the FIA Formula E Championship for the Gen 1 and 2 seasons and have utilized the same technology in the McLaren P1 hypercar. Their team will feature personnel from outside the Formula 1 programme along with four mechanics, one engineer and two drivers like all the other teams.
Extreme E announce Chile's Canal 13 as latest broadcaster
10 June 2021, London: Innovative off-road electric racing series, Extreme E, on Thursday confirmed Chile’s Canal 13 as its latest broadcaster. The commercial station, based in Santiago will air Extreme E’s full debut season which will include the live race feed, preview and magazine shows on its digital platform www.13.cl. The coverage will be featured in both English and Spanish.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E said: “I’m delighted to bring our sport for purpose series to Canal 13’s digital viewers in Chile. After two fantastic events this year in Saudi Arabia and then in Senegal, we know just how popular our broadcast package is - the audience numbers say it all!
“By adding Canal 13 to our territories roster, we are continuing to share not only the thrilling race action that Extreme E provides, but also the wider messages of our championship around electrification, environment and equality.”
Cristian Hernandez, Digital Media Manager of Canal 13, said: "For Canal 13 it is proud to be present in this global competition, our television channel and its digital platforms have always been protagonists for Chile of the most important sports and news events worldwide. Today, we are proud to promote the first environmentally friendly, gender-equitable and sustainable competition."
After the conclusion of the first two events in Saudi Arabia (3-4 April), and Senegal (29-30 May), the series will next visit Greenland (28-29 August), Brazil (23-24 October) and Patagonia (11-12 December). By staging races in locations that are suffering due to environmental issues, such as tropical rainforests and the Arctic, the objective is to raise the audience's awareness and interest in environmental issues.
The series also features a unique viewing format, as races are held in the absence of spectators and aired as two-hour programs, in an attempt to minimize the championship’s carbon footprint. Additionally, the championship transports equipment for the race by sea on St. Helena, its floating centrepiece and this behind the scenes content centering around environmental issues will also be available on Canal 13.
Extreme E founder Alejandro Agag bestowed with Autocar's Motorsport Hero Award
London: Extreme E's Founder and CEO Alejandro Agag, has been honoured with Autocar’s Motorsport Hero Award, a recognition given to an individual who has made a significant impact on motorsport and, in turn, the wider automotive industry.
The Awards themselves identify and celebrate the most extraordinary motoring accomplishments over the past 12 months and the individuals responsible for taking the industry forward.
Agag first entered the electric motorsport world in 2014 while he launched the ABB FIA Formula E Championship before going on to develop Extreme E, which had its inaugural race earlier this year. Both championships aim to demonstrate electric mobility and encourage cleaner technologies through the power of sport.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “I’m delighted to receive this award from Autocar. It is a true recognition of the achievements we have made in driving the electric conversation through motorsport. I’m very proud of what both Formula E and Extreme E have achieved and I look forward to ensuring they go from strength-to-strength as we look to support the fight against climate change.”
Mark Tisshaw, Autocar Editor said: “With his leadership of both Formula E and the new Extreme E championships, Alejandro Agag has shaken up the motorsport world with provocative and challenging ideas. He has defied the many sceptics of an electric single-seater series to grow Formula E into a world championship that has attracted some of the industry's biggest manufacturers, and with Extreme E Agag is now showing that motorsport can address issues such as sustainability and climate change.”
Extreme E is now done with two of its five X Prixs in its inaugural season – the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia and Ocean X Prix in Senegal – and is now looking forward to the Arctic X Prix which will be held in Greenland at the end of August.
Indian racer Jehan Daruvala bounces back with points and podium in Baku
Baku, Jun 6 Indian racer Jehan Daruvala capped off a productive outing in Azerbaijan with a seventh place finish in the feature race of the FIA Formula 2 Championship here on Sunday.
He had registered a podium finish in sprint race two earlier in the weekend.
Jehan, a Red Bull junior driver, secured crucial points in all three races in his maiden run on the streets of Baku. He finished fourth in the opening sprint race on Saturday and came third in the following sprint race.
It was a much needed result for Jehan, who had a forgettable time in the previous round in Monaco. With 24 points from the weekend, he sits on the seventh spot in the drivers' standings. He made an excellent start from seventh spot and gained two places into corner one in sprint race two. Into the second corner, Jehan made another good overtake on Armstrong, to move up into fourth.
Behind him others crashed, bringing out the safety car allowing the cars to be cleared safely. The safety car restart saw Jehan take advantage and make an excellent move to overtake Juri Vips for third, but the Estonian got the place back after a few corners.
Jehan soon climbed up another place, overtaking Dutchman Bent Viscaal. Jehan then settled into a good rhythm in third. One more safety car period ensued, followed by a Virtual Safety Car.
Jehan managed to keep his concentration and continued his consistent drive. Past the midway point, Bent Viscaal of the Netherlands, in fourth, started piling up pressure on Jehan. The Indian was unfazed and kept his cool and soaked up the immense pressure lap after lap.
Fellow Red Bull junior Vips won the 21 lap race ahead of Germany's David Beckman. Jehan was a mere six tenths of a second behind to secure his second podium this year in F2, after his fantastic second place finish in Bahrain earlier this year.
"A decent weekend with good points. I was aggressive at the start of Race 2 and 3 and it paid off well. It was good to be back on the podium and I am confident of fighting for podiums and wins in the upcoming races." said the 22-year-old from Mumbai.
Jehan earlier finished a strong fourth place in Race 1, while Race 3 on Sunday saw Jehan make up two places from ninth to finish seventh. Round 4 of the FIA Formula 2 Championship will be held at the famed Silverstone circuit, as part of the British Grand Prix weekend in mid-July. New source PTI
Content distribution platform Socialie collaborates with electric off road racing series Extreme E
Extreme E has announced a collaboration with leading content distribution platform Socialie to enhance the electric off road racing series’ management, distribution and ROI of social media content. This includes race coverage, environmental objectives and behind the scenes stories of people and places with coverage from drivers, teams, partners, stakeholders and media.
Since 2016, Socialie has boasted clients such as ATP Tour, WTA, UFC, FIBA Media, European Tour amongst others. The company is known for maximizing the social ecosystems of brands and delivering fast, impactful content and utilizing advanced sharing mechanisms.
With this partnership, Extreme E will be able to deliver content from remote locations direct to their Socialie account which will them be redistributed, retaining full visibility of social analytics across drivers, teams and stakeholders social accounts.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E said: “Extreme E’s collaboration with Socialie means we can fully realise the potential of our outstanding visual content as well as amplify the environmental, electrification and equality messaging behind our unique sport for purpose series.
“The modern social media landscape presents enormous opportunities for Extreme E, not only as an emerging and innovative sport but one with a vital narrative to deliver, and we’re excited to take that further than ever before.”
Kristin Adams, Socialie CEO and Founder said: “We are excited to be working with Extreme E during its inaugural season. The championship is highlighting the impact of climate change through sport but also through the media.
“By using Socialie, Extreme E is empowering its drivers, teams and other influential stakeholders to easily share and amplify this very important message across social media to showcase the unique events and raise awareness for the need to protect the environment. We are proud that Socialie has been chosen as its platform to achieve this.”
Extreme E will now head over to Greenland (28-29 August) for it’s next race. The series aims to highlight the climate crisis by holding races in locations that are most vulnerable. As the series has a unique viewing format without spectators, fans can watch the races live via social media. Extreme E also transports equipment through its floating centerpiece, St. Helena to reduce the Championship’s carbon footprint.
Technical glitch plays spoilsport for Indian racer Akhil Rabindra at Circuit Paul Ricard
Bengaluru, May 31 Indian racer Akhil Rabindra's second round performance at the European GT4 Championship 2021 was marred by technical glitches at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France.
The 24-year-old Bengaluru-born driver who is also the only Indian at the European GT4 Championships this season, finished at P16 in the silver category.
Akhil, driving an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for the AGS Events Racing team, took to the drivers seat in Race 2 after he and his teammate Hugo Conde had to retire after 16 laps in Race 1 due to engine issues.
Akhil is also the only Asian to have made it to the Aston Martin Racing drivers academy in 2021, a feat that he has achieved for the third straight year in a row.
Earlier, Akhil and Hugo had to retire due to a faulty engine in Race 1 after having qualified at P14 in the qualifying race.
Race 1 saw them completing 16-laps in 38:29.167 minutes. Post this, Akhil took the steering in Race 2, scripting an impressive run to finish P15 in the silver category.
Akhil completed Race 2 in 1:01:40.275 minutes on Sunday evening to finish 29th overall from a grid of 41 cars.
Rabindra said, "There're plenty of opportunities for us to improve and we'll be working on it. I, personally, have grasped a lot and can't wait to work on my shortcomings to better my performances for the upcoming races now." The European GT4 Series now moves to Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands for Round 3 of the championship from June 18-20. New source PTI
Extreme E: Rosberg X Racing wins two out of two after dramatic conclusion of Ocean X Prix
London: Rosberg X Racing drivers Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor emerged victorious yet again at Extreme E’s second X Prix in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal (29/30 May) with the brilliant duo overcoming high pressure from their adversaries to be crowned Champions of Extreme's first-ever Ocean X prix.
The pioneering off road racing event featured high drama in the grand final as two of the four cars retired at the first corner, leaving Rosberg X Racing to extend their championship lead and Veloce Racing to notch up a surprise result, bouncing from their nightmare Desert X Prix.
The all-star field of Extreme E drivers took on the tight and technical Ocean X Prix course and yielded close racing and several options for alternate routes which were deployed throughout the two days of the X Prix.
Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle LeDuc took the Super Sector title, bagging an extra five points for his side, setting the fastest time of 1m50.891s - 1.289 seconds ahead of X44’s Sébastien Loeb.
Nico Rosberg, Founder and CEO of Rosberg X Racing, said: “I’m so happy for us as a team to have won in Extreme E for the second time. Two out of two – wow!!
The second event of Extreme E saw drama unfold before the first corner in the grand Final as GridPlay winners Veloce Racing chose to start on the third grid slot, but the benefit was quickly lost as Stéphane Sarrazin was squeezed out at the first gate which dropped him back to last position.
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky of JBXE endured rear-wheel damage before she even reached the first corner and was forced to retire the car, as was Cristina Gutiérrez in the X44 car who came to blows with the Rosberg X Racing ODYSSEY 21.
Molly Taylor and Sarrazin were hence left to duke it out for the lead, with the French closing the gap throughout the lap and finishing his stint hot on the heels of the 2016 Australian Rally Champion.
To make sure that the officials could safely clear the stricken X44 and JBXE cars, a brief red flag was put into place, as the high voltage battle for the lead was put on hold while the drivers made their way into the switch zone.
A standing start restart was initiated with Jamie Chadwick and Johan Kristoffersson were all set for an all or nothing, one-lap showdown.
A hard-fought drag race down to the first gate concluded with light contact between the two ODYSSEY 21s giving Kristoffersson the advantage. Once he had arrived at the technical section of the course, the three-time FIA World Rallycross Champion started to stretch his legs opening up a 15-second advantage to clinch Rosberg X Racing’s second Extreme E X race on the trot.
Molly Taylor, Rosberg X Racing driver, said: “It’s so fantastic to have won today! Coming here, it felt like we had a lot of work to do over the weekend, and it certainly didn’t come easy, but with every session we just kept our heads down and just saw where we needed to improve, and everything totally paid off in the end."
Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing driver, said: “I’m super happy to be Extreme E winners for the second time! Molly executed everything perfectly, she did an amazing job taking care of the traffic in her lap - I was really impressed with that. The team also did a fantastic job, I have to say a big thanks to them for bringing me and Molly up to speed over the weekend, as we really weren’t the fastest coming into this event but in the end, we were quick where we needed to be and got good starts, so we couldn’t wish for more than that."
Final Result
Rosberg X Racing (Johan Kristoffersson / Molly Taylor) 2 laps
Veloce Racing (Stéphane Sarrazin / Jamie Chadwick) +14.676s
JBXE (Kevin Hansen / Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky) DNF
X44 (Sébastien Loeb / Cristina Gutiérrez) DNF
Championship Standings
Rosberg X Racing(Johan Kristoffersson / Molly Taylor) 71 points
X44(Sébastien Loeb / Cristina Gutiérrez) 57 points
JBXE(Jenson Button / Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky) 44 points
Andretti United Extreme E(Timmy Hansen / Catie Munnings) 37 points
XITE ENERGY RACING(Oliver Bennett / Christine GZ) 37 points
ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team(Carlos Sainz / Laia Sanz) 36 points
ABT Cupra XE(Mattias Ekström / Claudia Hürtgen) 35 points
Veloce Racing(Stéphane Sarrazin / Jamie Chadwick) 31 points
Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing(Kyle LeDuc / Sara Price) 30 points
Electric off-road racing series Extreme E reveals Ocean X Prix course
Extreme E will host its second X Prix this weekend, the Ocean X Prix in Lac Rose, Senegal on 29th and 30th May. Course advisers and championship drivers Timo Scheider and Jutta Kleinschmidt have been developing the course ahead of the free practice sessions on 28th May.
Similar to the Desert X Prix, teams will once again face sandy terrain but the tracks will surround a lake renowned for its pink colour due to the algae in its saline waters. The Ocean X Prix will start on the beach alongside the Atlantic Ocean which will quickly move inland to the sharp, elevated dunes in a tight and twisty course. In the middle sector, the route will cross close to the main paddock and the sand will become softer with small dips and drops after which the race will return to the stunning beach.
Timo Scheider, Extreme E Championship Driver said: “After Saudi Arabia, which was a pretty quick course, the aim was to have a more technical layout with more overtaking possibilities and average to low speed areas, and this is what we have achieved.”
“We have some tricky areas, so for sure you have to manage your speed and we still have areas where you have to pay attention to, because if you're too quick on some stages, you can damage your car, spin or even roll.”
Jutta Kleinschmidt, fellow Extreme E Championship Driver said: “So we love it, it's very technical and completely different to what we faced in Saudi Arabia. It's also slower but gives more options for overtaking as there are many racing lines, which will make the Final very interesting. I expect to see closer racing and more overtakes.”
The Ocean X Prix will also feature the Super Sector in the middle sector of the race. This new element will give drivers the opportunity to earn five points for their team by being the fastest driver in that sector over the weekend. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the final will also feature four cars in an action packed race weekend.
Extreme E's final races to be live streamed on Tik Tok for Senegal
The off road racing series, Extreme E, is all set for its Ocean X-Prix this weekend (29-30 May) at Lac Rose, Senegal and will yet again join forces with leading short video platform, TikTok to create digital live content to further bolster the championships social media offering.
Extreme E’s broadcast of its inaugural event in Saudi Arabia earlier last month attracted a mammoth 18.5 million views across its TikTok content.
Extreme E and Little Dot Studios, as part of the initial partnership, created an exclusive 90-minute production which enjoyed 360,000 views on Extreme E’s TikTok account during the maiden weekend providing a behind-the-scenes view at the personalities involved in the series.
For the upcoming Ocean X Prix this weekend, the parties will build on this format along with the bonus addition of the weekend’s final races also being streamed live on TikTok on Sunday May 30 in countries like Russia, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Morocco, Kuwait, Tunisia, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Mauritania and Bahrain.
In addition to this, the ‘behind-the-scenes’ live-streams, which proved to be very successful at the Desert X Prix in Saudi, will also be live from Lac Rose.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “The viewing numbers from our first event – the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia - were beyond phenomenal and I’m so thrilled that we were able to reach so many people with our unique championship broadcast. TikTok is massive, and we know that over 60 per cent of its audience are ‘Gen Z’ers’ - the age group that is most concerned about the climate crisis - so to be able to fully engage with them like this is brilliant for our sport for purpose series.
“It’s fantastic that we can now add live streaming in addition to the races and behind-the-scenes coverage from our Ocean X Prix. This is an absolute game changer for our sport and I can’t wait to share Extreme E’s thrilling action and the stories of our championship from Senegal this weekend.”
Yannis Ioannidis, Global Business Development and Strategic Content Partnerships at TikTok said: “We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with Extreme E to include live-streaming of the final races as shown on TV in the agreed countries. TikTok Live is the ultimate destination for exciting live-streaming content and this new partnership with Extreme E will give our mobile-native community of users access to premium racing content for the first time ever.”
Extreme E launches FanWorld, a virtual zone for fans ahead of Ocean X Prix
London: Extreme E on Tuesday launched FanWorld – a virtual experience for fans at home to bring them closer to the Extreme E action. In this virtual zone, fans will be provided exclusive access to the Command Centre, driver’s on-board cameras along with a chance to bag a spot in a live Q&A with the championship’s drivers.
Fans are encouraged to share their experience using the hashtag #XEFanWorld and the finest content will be hosted in the virtual world bringing fans from all over the world together to experience the Championship. In addition to this, there will also be an opportunity for them to access virtual autograph cards.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer, said: “I think this new initiative is going to excite fans and give them new ways to engage with Extreme E.
“We saw a huge appetite for the series from the Desert X Prix and I hope this will continue to grow throughout Season 1. FanWorld brings all the action to the homes of people that enjoy our sport and brings them closer to the racing.”
The GridPlay vote opens on Wednesday 26 May at 0900 GMT and closes 30 minutes into Semi-Final 2 on 30 May, Sunday. This gives the fans an opportunity to choose their favourite side and influence the starting line-up for the Final.
Teams that don’t progress into the final can gift votes to their preferred competitors. In Saudi Arabia, Andretti United were able to pick its starting position in the closing race, which indeed highlights the importance of every vote.
The Ocean X Prix will take place this weekend from 29-30 May in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal.
Extreme E teams up with Twitch.tv channel to strengthen its online presence
London: Extreme E, the innovative off-road racing series, on Tuesday announced its association with video game development and entertainment company One Earth Rising to create HighVoltage, a new channel on Twitch.tv, World’s top live streaming platform for gamers.
HighVoltage is a hosted daily Twitch.tv streaming channel with an objective to build a better future together and will host the finest video games and competitions while headlining it's purpose driven message. The channel will also be the home to a variety of Extreme E behind the scenes content and the weekly contests.
Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme E, said: “A big thank you to One Earth Rising for its support in getting this channel off the ground. As a championship we are targeting a younger audience, many of whom are engaged in platforms like Twitch.tv, so for Extreme E to have its own channel, HighVoltage, to engage with the demographic is fantastic.
“We hope to bring engaging content and games all in a bid to support the biggest race of our time, for our planet, which is sadly suffering from the effects of the climate crisis.”
Justin Bovington, Chief Marketing Officer at One Earth Rising, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Extreme E to create the HighVoltage channel on Twitch.tv to continue its momentum throughout Season 1. The race for the planet is so important and one we all need to join to build a better future. We hope this channel will bring people together in an engaging and entertaining way through a mix of content including games, interviews and conversation.”
Regular competitions and giveaways will be hosted by HighVoltage along with providing access to exclusive themed game servers for subscribers and followers with the purpose of engaging its community by not only conversing, but also including them in playing games together while focussing on the planet.
Extreme E aims to highlight climate issues and demonstrate measures, big and small, that can be undertaken to help the planet. Thus, activations such as this one on Twitch.tv are important to spread the message.
After Senegal, the series will next visit Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (28-29 August), Pará, Brazil (23-24 October) and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (11-12 December).