Extreme E will remain in Sardinia for the seventh and eighth rounds of the 2023 season on September 16-17 after plans for an event in Argentina fell through late on, RACER can reveal.
Originally slated for the Amazon or the United States until the location was changed due to local funding issues, the fourth event of the season was then set to take place in Argentina. However, local elections complicated matters, delaying the arrival of crucial local funding once again and leading the series to find another replacement at the eleventh hour.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5858]
The series was presented with the option to leave equipment at the Pisano Barracks in Capo Teulada, Sardinia, which hosted the Island X Prix in July and has been a mainstay on the schedule since the series’ first season in 2021. With the offer on the table, the decision was taken to remain there for another event, minimizing the financial impact on teams and the series’ environmental impact as a whole, while maintaining a 10-round, five event schedule. The vast, open location will also enable the series to devise an entirely new track at the same site.
“We are extremely grateful to the Automobile Club d’Italia, Regione Sardegna, and the Italian Army to be able to return to Sardinia for the next rounds of the 2023 championship,” said James Taylor, chief championship officer at Extreme E. “Extreme E has developed a strong relationship with the region across a number of years and they have always been incredibly supportive of our series, enabling us to go racing once more on the island.
“The championship is reaching a critical stage, and Sardinia has always delivered on-track, so we look forward to our latest X Prix there in September.”
This is not only the second time Sardinia has hosted two full events in a season, but it is also the second time plans for an event in Argentina have been scuppered.
Last year’s plans for races in Scotland and Senegal were derailed due to scheduling and logistical complications brought about by the Ukraine war – the Sardinia race location was used for training for the conflict and its initial date was moved, leaving no time for a race between the season-opener in Saudi Arabia and the new Sardinia date that could be serviced by sea freight. That necessitated an extended stay in Sardinia. Meanwhile, a round in Tierra del Fuego dubbed the Glacier X Prix was planned for Season 1, but was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Argentina, and now Sardinia ultimately ended up being the location for the fourth stop on the schedule, championship founder and CEO Alejandro Agag insists that a race in the United States remains a key aim.
“As a global championship, it remains our ambition to host a race in the USA in the future, as well as in other regions across South America, such is the passion for motorsport there. Nevertheless our return to Chile, which was a hugely successful event for Extreme E in 2022, will go ahead in December as our Season 3 Finale,” he said. “I must pay tribute to the support of the Automobile Club d’Italia, the Italian military, and Regione Sardegna who have been integral in enabling us to go racing in Sardinia. They have been such accommodating partners and hugely flexible to allow us the opportunity to return. We are grateful for such a trusted long-term partnership and we are delighted to return to Sardinia for more spectacular racing in September.”