Extreme E: What It Is and Why You Should Watch It
By: David Lee
Tags: Gender Equality, Racing, Climate Change, Motorsport, Sports

I have always had a fascination with remote places. They are a great reminder of how big and awe-inspiring our planet is. It’s why my travel bucket list is filled with destinations that aren’t very easy to get to. The Seychelles. The Azores. Patagonia. The Yukon. You get the picture.

So when I heard that there was going to be a new racing series called Extreme E that would hold its events in remote parts of the world, I was sold immediately. We’re pretty used to seeing cars race on asphalt or dirt, but what about on a glacier? Let’s just say Extreme E didn’t hold back when creating the schedule for their inaugural season in 2021.

March: Saudi Arabia (Desert)

May: Senegal (Ocean)

August: Greenland (Arctic)

October: Brazil (Amazon)

December: Argentina (Glacier)

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see some racing in non-traditional racing environments.

With the series going to some of the most unique and delicate parts of our planet, you may be wondering what kind of effect racing cars will have on these environments. If you are asking those questions, then Extreme E is already succeeding in its goal to raise awareness of climate change. These locations have already been damaged by climate change and each race will serve as an opportunity to educate viewers on the problems and risks that these areas face.

Auto racing, however, isn’t particularly known for being an eco-friendly sport. It typically brings up memories of gas-guzzling, tire-consuming, exhaust-blowing vehicles zooming around speedways. So how will Extreme E minimize its impact on the planet?

Drivers will race fully electric SUVs using hydrogen fuel technology so they can be charged using hydro and solar energy. It comes as no surprise that Extreme E will be using electric vehicles with its ties to Formula E, an all-electric single-seater motorsport series. All equipment will be transported by the RMS St. Helena cargo ship to each race location, which will use significantly less carbon emissions compared to airplanes. The goal is to have a net-zero carbon footprint when the season concludes.

An intriguing schedule of locations, a climate change awareness campaign and eco-friendly initiatives are all reason enough to pay attention to Extreme E. But wait, there’s more…

The series will promote gender equality by requiring each car to be driven by a team of one male and one female. Each teammate must partake in both driving and co-driving responsibilities.

At each race weekend, the qualifying rounds will be held on Saturday with the semi-finals and final races on Sunday. Points will be given based on finishing position. Each race will have 4 cars and consist of 2 laps. Each driver will complete one lap and driver order will be kept secret from other teams until the race for added strategy.

There’s a lot of cool and progressive ideas that Extreme E is bringing to the table in 2021, giving us a look at how motorsports will continue to develop in the future. It has always attracted big names such as Sébastien Loeb, a 9-time champion in the World Rally Championship. Loeb is driving for Team X44, which was formed by none other than the dominant 7-time Formula 1 champion, Lewis Hamilton.

Extreme E has been working on getting TV broadcast deals all over the world. So be sure to tune in on March 20–21 as we head to the deserts of Saudi Arabia for the first race of the next big thing in the world of motorsports.

For more racing updates, follow me on Twitter at @dleeracing.

Information courtesy of Extreme-E.com and Racer.com.