Extreme E: Rosberg X Racing and Acciona | Sainz XE won the first two rounds in Jeddah

Defending champions Rosberg X Racing (RXR) and Acciona | Sainz XE Team are the winners of the first two rounds of Extreme E in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In the first round of Desert X Prix. Rosberg X Racing (RXR) secured a dramatic victory after an incredible battle with the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team.

In a race which featured multiple changes for the lead, it was RXR’s Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky who took the glory in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, defeating the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s duo of Mattias Ekström and Cristina Gutiérrez by just 0.167s.

E.ON Veloce Racing completed the podium, with Acciona | Sainz XE Team (ASXE) fourth after a roll for Fraser McConnell on the last lap of the Grand Final.

Johan Kristoffersson, RXR, said:

Today was a great day. The course was very fast and bumpy, but Mikaela did a great job, and I’m super happy to be back on top! Looking forward to doing it again tomorrow!

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, RXR, said:

Starting this season with a win feels incredible. Johan handed over the car in a good position, but the competition was intense – especially my battle with Cristina. I was very happy to make the overtake and take the win.

Second round

In the second race of the Extreme E season, Acciona | Sainz XE Team (ASXE) took their first win of the season in the Desert X Prix.

Fraser McConnell and Laia Sanz brought home the victory for the Spanish outfit, holding off Andretti Altawkilat’s Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings who enjoyed a welcome return to form.

E.ON Veloce Racing finished third once more in Saudi Arabia securing back-to-back podiums ahead of Rosberg X Racing (RXR) who rounded out the order in the Round 2 Grand Final.

The result moves ASXE up to second in the drivers standings, two points adrift of RXR who head the leaderboard with E.ON Veloce Racing completing the top-three positions.

Fraser McConnell, ASXE, said:

I am really happy for the team, happy for Laia and everybody back in Jamaica. This is a big, big win. Stepping into this team was such a huge step for me. So many other people could have had the opportunity, but I was chosen by Carlos and the team to be here. They saw something in me, they believed in me, and this gave me so much confidence to dig as deep as I could. I am living this opportunity as if it is my last, making sure I can make a name for myself and the team. Carlos has been a hero of mine growing up, so racing for him is such a feeling. It has been a very good first weekend.

Yesterday we didn’t get what we wanted, but these things can happen when you push. We are here to win, not to be second or third, and everyone in Acciona | Sainz XE Team is doing everything they can to fulfill this goal. I am going to enjoy this win as much as I can.

It is a long break now until the next round, but we will go through everything to analyze what we did right and what we did wrong. We will carry the positives and work on the negatives. Awesome feeling and ready to go for it again.

Laia Sanz, ASXE, said:

I am super happy. This weekend was a tough fight because the pace is super high and everyone is improving, but I am super happy to take this first race victory with Fraser. Winning this race is made even more special after what happened last year in the season finale, where we narrowly missed the title. The team has done a great job this weekend to improve the car in each session and we felt really quick in the Grand Final, with enough strength to go for the win.

We are feeling well as we leave Saudi Arabia. We know that the Championship will be very tight, but today we saw that we have the pace to go for the win. Today we proved it. We must keep working hard.

Final Classification Round 1

Grand Final

1. Rosberg X Racing 11:08.024mins
2. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +0.167s
3. E.ON Veloce Racing +3.339s
4. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team DNF

Redemption Race

1. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E 10:55.379mins
2. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB IN ASSOCIATION WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON +23.724s
3. JBXE +29.639s
4. SUN Minimeal Team DNF

Final Classification Round 2

Grand Final result

1. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team 10:54.593mins
2. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +1.406s
3. E.ON Veloce Racing +4.662
4. Rosberg X Racing +8.051

Redemption Race result

1. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team 8:32.825mins
2. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB IN ASSOCIATION WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON +0.692s
3. SUN Minimeal Team +9.809s
4. JBXE DNF

Championship standings

1. Rosberg X Racing 41 points
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team 39 points
3. E.ON Veloce Racing 33 points
4. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E 31 points
5. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team 30 points
6. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB IN ASSOCIATION WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON 18 points
7. SUN Minimeal Team 10 points
8. JBXE 10 points

Source: Extreme E