(Motorsports news)17 January 2022, London: X44 have become the winners of the first ever Extreme E Sustainability Award after topping the standings in the series’ inaugural Count Us In Challenge aimed at tackling the climate crisis.
Extreme E and Count Us In came together ahead of Season 1 to launch the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge – a campaign using the power of sport and the excitement of motor racing to inspire fans to take practical steps on climate change.
The sport for purpose series asked fans to take real pledges to lead a less carbon intensive lifestyle to reduce their footprint and, in doing so, urge governments, cities and businesses to accelerate progress on climate action.
The Extreme E Count Us In Challenge includes a variety of actions available to fans to contribute towards a greener future, including not using single-use plastic, walking and cycling more, eating more plant-based foods and driving an electric vehicle. Each step is attributed to the fans’ favourite team, and the team with the most steps at the end of Season 1 would win the inaugural Extreme E Sustainability Award.
This was achieved by X44, who claimed the award with 792 steps pledged, with JBXE (749 steps) and Rosberg X Racing (RXR) (422 steps) completing the top three. In total, the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge inspired 1,231 fans to take 3,207 steps saving 1,241,223 KG CO2.
The Extreme E Count Us In Challenge will return for Season 2 with fans once again urged to take climate action through their passion for the sport.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to present X44 as the winners of the Extreme E Sustainability Award via the series’ first-ever Count Us In Challenge.
“Sport is an incredible platform to not only raise awareness of the climate crisis, the single biggest threat to our planet today, but also inspire action to tackle it. At Extreme E we will continue to push the boundaries and shine a spotlight on the issues we face, along with the need to act now to help protect our futures.
“Our first season working with Count Us In has been a huge success and I am looking forward to us building on this momentum for Season 2 to go further in taking climate action.”
Sébastien Loeb, X44, said: “I was very happy to learn that X44 won the Extreme E Sustainability Award for 2021. I joined the team hoping to discover more about the environment while doing what I love, and I have learned so much from the series and the different places we visited – in fact I even bought my first electric car last year!
“To know that our fans have come on this journey with us and are making their own commitment to have a positive impact on the planet is inspiring and I feel good about what we can achieve when we work together.”
Shivani Rudra, Count Us In, said: “Through the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge, teams and their fans have demonstrated their commitment to a cleaner, healthier, thriving future for all.
“By taking meaningful, simple steps in their own daily lives, Extreme E fans have not just reduced their own carbon emissions, but they’ve added up to a growing movement of people and communities showing leaders it’s time to accelerate progress on climate action.
“Huge congratulations to X44 and its fans for their engagement in Season 1! We look forward to continuing to work with Extreme E and the teams in Season 2 to further their legacy through their passionate fanbase.”
Extreme E aims to accelerate the adoption of clean and electrified transport to help protect people and the planet, with the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge also supporting the UN's Race To Zero campaign.
In 2022, Extreme E will continue to race across the world’s most remote environments to demonstrate the performance and benefits of electric vehicles and clean technology, whilst highlighting the impact that climate change is already having on these ecosystems, such as melting ice caps, deforestation, desertification, retreating mountain glaciers, and rising sea levels.
Extreme E Season 2 begins in Neom, Saudi Arabia (19-20 February), before heading to Sardinia, Italy (7-8 May), Senegal or Scotland (9-10 July), Antofagasta, Chile (10-11 September) and Punta Del Este, Uruguay (26-27 November).
