The countdown is on to the first-ever double header Extreme E event, as the Championship returns to the Italian island of Sardinia for the newly-titled NEOM Island X Prix, a summer showdown of back-to-back racing this week (6-7 and 9-10 July).
NEOM McLaren Extreme E drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust are keen to get back competing after their first round in Saudia Arabia in mid-February.
“We’re excited to be back racing again, says Gilmour. “It’s been a long break since the Desert X Prix and we’ve just carried out a good test, so we’re itching to get going together as a team once more.
“I’ve raced here before, which gives us some history and information to work with. It’s a lot hotter than last time I was here, so that will be a challenge along with looking after ourselves this week. We’re feeling good and really looking forward to a successful week here in Sardinia.”
The event will be returning to the Season 1 location of the Army Training area at Capo Teulada in Sulcis-Iglesiente. The Teulada route is ideal, providing a challenging backdrop for the course which will measure around seven kilometres.
Due to the hot summer conditions in July, the terrain will be much drier than last year’s Enel X Island X Prix with the drivers having to navigate a harder, more compact surface riddled with rocks, bushes, and dry riverbeds cracked from the heat.
“It’s great to be back with the McLaren Extreme E team,” commented Tanner Foust . “This time we’re out in Sardinia, which is a part of the world I’ve never been to before. It’s much hotter and drier than I’d imagined.
“I’ve watched all of the video footage from in-car and from broadcast from last year. I don’t have previous laps around this course, but it looks like something that can be memorised. It’s just going to be very treacherous with how dry and dusty it is this year, which will be new for everybody.
“Emma and I are finally ready to get this car back on track with all the new suspension improvements and see how we stack up.”
Extreme E has been working closely with Automobile Club d’Italia – the national sports federation co-organising and coordinating the event – the Region of Sardinia, and its Tourism Department plus the Ministry of Defense and the Italian Army to deliver what promises to be a week of double the racing and double the excitement.
Event format
Wednesday 6 July
Qualifying 1:
Qualifying 2:
Thursday 7 July
Semi-Finals 1 & 2:
Race:
Island X Prix II broadcast times:
Saturday 9 July
Qualifying 1:
Qualifying 2:
Sunday 10 July
Semi-Finals 1 & 2: C
Race:
Sporting Format
Extreme E retains its sporting format as seen in NEOM, Saudi Arabia:
Qualifying
Following on from the Desert X Prix, Qualifying 1 will be conducted in a single-car format over two laps, with each driver completing a lap of the course. Intermediate Classification points will be awarded to determine positioning in Qualifying 2, ranging from 10 points for first place to one point for last.
The second round of Qualifying will consist of two heats, each of five cars. Teams finishing Qualifying 1 in 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th places will go into Heat 1 and Teams finishing 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th will go into Heat 2. Intermediate Classification points for the second round of Qualifying will be awarded as follows:
1st in Heat 10 points
2nd in Heat 8 points
3rd in Heat 6 points
4th in Heat 4 points
5th in Heat 2 points
A team’s overall classification points will decide the order for which cars progress to Semi Final 1, Semi Final 2, and the Crazy Race on Day Two, but the points do not contribute towards the Championship standings.
1st – Semi-Final 1
2nd – Semi-Final 2
3rd – Semi-Final 2
4th – Semi-Final 1
5th – Semi-Final 1
6th – Semi-Final 2
7th – Crazy Race
8th – Crazy Race
9th – Crazy Race
10th – Crazy Race
Race-day
Semi-Final 1 – Three-car race with top two cars going through to the Final
Semi-Final 2 – Three-car race with top two cars going through to the Final
Crazy Race – Four-car race with first place going through to the Final
Final – Five-car Final with the top three going to the podium
Championship points
1st: 25 points (winner of the Final)
2nd: 18 points (2nd place in the Final)
3rd: 15 points (3rd place in the Final)
4th: 12 points (4th place in the Final)
5th: 10 points (5th place in the Final)
6th: 8 points (3rd place from Semi-Final 1 or Semi-Final 2)*
7th: 6 points (3rd place from Semi-Final 1 or Semi-Final 2)*
8th: 4 points (2nd place in the Crazy Race)
9th: 2 points (3rd place in the Crazy Race)
10th: 1 point (4th place in the Crazy Race)
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