(Motorsports news) JBXE today announced that 2021 Extreme E Championship winner Molly Taylor will join Season 1 driver Kevin Hansen for Race 1 of Extreme E Season 2. Taylor brings invaluable expertise after claiming the Extreme E title with Rosberg X Racing (RXR) in the inaugural season, and has all the knowledge that comes with winning the series.

Molly Taylor, driver for JBXE, said: "I had an incredible year with Extreme E in 2021 and I believe wholeheartedly in what the competition represents both with respect to its commitment to sustainability and gender equality. Having had the benefit of a win in last year’s Championship, when the call came to join the JBXE team ahead of this weekend’s race, I thought why not. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into the Desert X-Prix this weekend.”

The team will be looking to build upon their performance from last year’s inaugural race. After a shaky start at the Desert X Prix in AlUla, Saudi Arabia last year, where the team finished third in the Crazy Race, Jenson Button’s JBXE outfit soared into the Final of the second X Prix in Senegal. The remaining three X Prix saw JBXE on the podium at each race, having transformed into masters of the Crazy Race in both Greenland and Sardinia. Second place finishes at the Arctic X Prix and the Jurassic X Prix, alongside third in Senegal and Sardinia, secured JBXE stood third in the constructors Championship standings with 119 points.

Founded by 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, JBXE will be looking for more success in Extreme E Season 2. Jenson Button, Founder of JBXE, added: “To be able to bring Molly into the team is fantastic news for JBXE. Having won the Championship last year she obviously brings a huge amount to the table so I’m incredibly excited to see her and Kevin in action this weekend.”

Kevin Hansen, driver for JBXE, said: “I’m very excited to work with Molly. She did great last year and was one of the best out on track. You don’t become Champion for nothing“She has a lot of experience now in Saudi from the Dakar Rally this year, so I will take a lot of advantage from that. It was an amazing experience that she had there and now she can share that with me. It’s going to be very fun to work with her this weekend.”

Prior to Extreme E, Hansen has been a regular fixture in the  FIA World Rallycross Championship for several years, securing event wins and multiple podiums for Team Peugeot-Hansen. Earlier in his career, the 22-year-old Swedish racer secured the 2015 RX2 title and won the 2016 FIA Rookie of the Year award. This year he will hope that he can replicate the same form and win the extreme E championship for Jenson Button’s team

The fresh JBXE driver line-up is all set to take on the first race of the season in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, this weekend (19-20 February)

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