Two-time Extreme E champions, Rosberg X Racing (RXR), got their title defence off to a flying start today, as they won the opening round of the Desert XPrix.
The former F1 world champion’s team saw off close challengers McLaren to take almost maximum points from the round.
In an entertaining first day, here’s how the day’s action unfolded.
Qualifying 1 Heat 1:
McLaren, Veloce, SUN Minimeal, and JBXE got the first competitive session of the new season underway, with Veloce starting the better of the four teams to take the lead.
Though the pack stayed close together, there was little in the way of overtaking in the first qualifying heat.
It wasn’t all plain-sailing for Veloce, however. The team were initially awarded a time penalty for a switch zone infringement. The penalty was later revoked.
Veloce won the heat, taking ten classification points and setting themselves up nicely to make the final. McLaren finished second, closely followed by debutants SUN Minimeal. JBXE rounded up the grid.
Qualifying 1 Heat 2:
The remaining four teams – Legacy Motor Club, Andretti, Acciona Sainz, and RXR – competed in the second heat of qualifying one.
As the lights went out it was Andretti who got off the line quickest.
Their lead wouldn’t last long, however, as Johan Kristofferson pulled off a trademark move around the outside to put RXR into first place.
After that initial excitement, the cars started to spread out as they attempted to negotiate the ruts in the sand left by the previous heat.
RXR won the heat, with Andretti not too far behind in second. Last season’s runners-up, Acciona Sainz, finished third and Legacy Motor Club rounded out the heat.
Qualifying 2 Heat 1:
The second qualifying session started with Legacy Motor Club, Veloce, Acciona Sainz, and JBXE all looking to seal their place in the final.
Acciona Sainz got the best start and took an early lead, but not before Legacy Motor Club had attempted an unsuccessful move up the inside.
Not wanting to miss out on all the action, Veloce went side-by-side with Legacy Motor Club for second place. An initial move around the outside couldn’t quite get the job done, but a lunge up the inside into the next turn saw Veloce move into second.
Acciona Sainz won the first heat in Qualifying 2, with Veloce coming in second. Legacy finished third and JBXE once more rounded out the grid.
Qualifying 2 Heat 2:
The final qualifying race of the round was contested between SUN Minimeal, RXR, Andretti, and McLaren.
SUN Minimeal took an early lead, and looked good out front as the other three teams scrapped it out behind them.
After a lap of chasing down the lead, Andretti were close enough to force their way up the inside of SUN Minimeal and move into first place.
But it was in the switch zone that this heat was won. RXR were quicker on release than SUN Minimeal and were able jump up into second place, just behind leaders Andretti.
RXR then used their hyperdrive on the pit exit to leapfrog into first – a lead they would not relinquish.
Behind them, though, the battle for second was still well and truly on. McLaren chased down Andretti, and were eventually able to wrestle second place off of the American team.
RXR won the race, comfortably securing their spot in the final, alongside McLaren. Andretti finishing third meant they dropped down into the redemption race.
Overall Qualifying Classification Points:
- RXR – 20 Points
- Veloce – 18 Points
- McLaren – 16 Points
- Acciona Sainz – 16 Points
- Andretti – 14 Points
- SUN Minimeal – 10 Points
- Legacy Motor Club – 10 Points
- JBXE – 8 Points
Redemption Race:
The bottom four qualifiers – JBXE Legacy Motor Club, SUN Minimeal, and Andretti – all looked to rescue some championship points in the redemption race.
As the lights went green, Andretti got the best getaway and sailed into an early lead.
Behind them, Andreas Bakkerud in the JBXE machine made an audacious move around the outside to go from the back of the pack into second.
As the teams entered the switch zone, Andretti had pulled out a comfortable gap to JBXE, who remained ahead of SUN Minimeal and Legacy Motor Club.
An mechanical issue on the third lap for SUN Minimeal meant they would, unfortunately, not get to complete their first ever round. As they went past, fellow debutants Legacy Motor Club gave the stricken car a wave.
Not content with third place, Legacy Motor Club pushed hard to close the gap to JBXE. When they were close enough, a smart move around the outside saw the team jump into second.
Andretti cruised to victory in the redemption race, taking 12 crucial championship points. Legacy Motor Club gave a good account of themselves on debut, finishing second in the race (6th overall). Last to finish were JBXE, still ahead of SUN Minimeal who recorded a DNF.
Final:
The final race of the round proved to be the best race of the round – as the top four qualifiers did battle.
RXR got the best getaway and took an early lead, but Mattias Ekstrom in the McLaren car refused to be outwitted. Taking a very wide line, Ekstrom was able to put their power down much earlier than his competitors and he sailed by into first position.
RXR were not to be beaten, however. On the second lap, Nico Rosberg’s team went down the inside of the McLaren and made the move stick.
The teams entered the switch zone neck and neck – RXR just edging out McLaren, Veloce, and Acciona Sainz.
The McLaren-RXR battle continued as their female drivers took the wheel, with several points of contact causing minor bodywork damage to both cars.
Then, on the final lap of the race, McLaren regained the lead. Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky in the RXR machine kept the pressure on the McLaren, though, and managed to force the Gutierrez to go deep. Ahlin-Kottulinsky took the opportunity to sweep back into the lead to win the race by just one tenth of a second.
RXR completed an almost perfect first round, just missing out on the points for the Continental Traction Challenge. McLaren finished second, with Veloce rounding out the podium.
Acciona Sainz recorded a DNF as the car rolled on its side on the final lap. McConnell was able to get out of the car okay.
Overall Round Classification:
- RXR
- McLaren
- Veloce
- Acciona Sainz
- Andretti
- Legacy Motor Club
- JBXE
- SUN Minimeal
Championship Standings:
- RXR – 27 Points
- McLaren – 18 Points
- Veloce – 18 Points
- Acciona Sainz – 13 Points
- Andretti – 12 Points
- Legacy – 8 Points
- JBXE – 6 Points
- SUN Minimeal – 4 Points
The season kicked off with an exciting day of action. The series returns tomorrow for what is sure to be another entertaining couple of races.
