What is Extreme E? All about the new eco-sport of 2021

The essentials of the Extreme E

Extreme E is a racing sport in which you compete in electric off-road cars. These vehicles will race in five different locations around the world that have been specially chosen for being among the most affected places by climate change.

Conceived by Alejandro Agag , a Spanish businessman with ties to Formula 1 , the Extreme E is explicit in its intention to raise awareness about global warming. The use of electric cars in racing of the highest level will help the creators of these vehicles to promote this green technology.

Also read: The 5 Formula 1 drivers who earn the most money

Why did they choose each location?

Each location has being affected, in one way or another, by climate change.

AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia, April 3-4

AL-ULA represents the problem of desertification. According to Extreme E's official website: “Over the next few decades, the average availability of water in some dry regions is projected to decrease by between 10 and 30% , leading to 2.4 billion people worldwide suffering from periods of intense water scarcity. "

Pink Lake- Senegal, May 29-30

The “ocean race” will take place on the Pink Lake, approximately 30 kilometers from Senegal's capital, Dakar. According to the official page of Extreme E, this location was selected because, with the race, it seeks to “address the most critical social and environmental problems of the region: the rise in sea level, the degradation of marine ecosystems and desertification , aggravated by the overfishing, inadequate waste management and climate change. "

Kangerlussuaq- Greenland, August 28–29

Of course, it is difficult to ignore the profound change that global warming is causing in Arctic ecosystems. Extreme E is aware of that. On their official website, they state that they chose to do part of their inaugural circuit in Kangerlussuaq because, in this place they can: “raise awareness about the speed at which the ice is melting at the poles when running through the land that was once occupied by the once mighty glacier, right next to its receding snout. "

Santarém, Pará- Brazil, October 23-24

This stage will be curious, since it could be one of the most visually impressive. It will take place in an affected area of the Brazilian tropical forest and will seek to raise awareness about two of the most important problems for the Amazon: deforestation and wild fires.

Ushuaia- Argentina, December 11-12

Finally, the stage that ends the first Extreme E circuit would take place in Patagonia. The effects of climate change in one of the most remote places in the world include: thinning of the ice sheet, reduction of Andean areas in permafrost, and increased snow cover.

What format will it run?

At each location, there will be 2 race days. In the first, all teams will do two qualifying rounds of the course. At the end of each lap, the driver will be changed (a man and a woman driver in each team).

This is when things get complicated. On Sunday, there are two semi-finals, one with the top three in qualifying and the other with the three in the middle. There is also a race between the last three, but this only serves to define the places from seventh to ninth.

The two winners of the top three race advance to the finals, as does the winner of the second group. From this "super final" the winner is decided.

There are also a number of special "benefits" that can make the race more interesting, such as the "Hyperdrive", which gives a championship point and a bit of speed to the team that makes the highest jump at the beginning of each race.