Rosberg X Racing’s Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky made their Extreme E Championship ambitions clear by winning an intense first day of the Copper X Prix in Chile.
Coming into the weekend, five of the series’ 10 teams were in mathematical contention for the title, with RXR sitting second behind Acciona Sainz’s Mattias Ekstrom and Laia Sanz.
In an all-male start, It was Ekstrom that made the best start in the final, making the best getaway while RXR and the X44 Vida Carbon Racing entry of Fraser McConnell and Cristina Gutierrez squabbled over second. NEOM McLaren’s Tanner Foust shadowed the championship-chasing front three, but conservatively settled into fourth after the first turn.
By the start of the second lap, it looked as if the four had settled into their positions, but Season 1 champion Kristoffersson had other ideas. He closed the gap to Ekstrom at the front by the third sector, but was the fourth and final sector where he made a move, going round the outside ahead of the Switch Zone, grabbing a slender lead of 0.083s at the mid-race driver change.
That lead would be extended further as an untimely dust storm obscured Sanz’s view as she took over the car, delaying her getaway. She remained close to the RXR car, now helmed by Ahlin-Kottulinsky, and was all over her back bumper by the third sector. Ahlin-Kottulinsky remained resolute.
Sanz used her ‘Hyperdrive’ on the third lap to set up an ultimately unsuccessful pass, but Ahlin-Kottulinsky kept her boost for the final tour, saving it for the dying seconds of the race to keep Sanz 0.356s behind at the checkered flag.
Meanwhile, Kevin Hansen retired Veloce Racing’s car immediately at the green flag, merely taking the start to avoid a non-scoring DNS after the team scrambled to get onto the grid after a major Q2 crash.
Copper X Prix I Final
Rosberg X Racing, 8m 26.992s
Acciona Sainz, +0.356s
X44 Vida Carbon Racing, +3.748s
NEOM McLaren, +8.754s
Veloce Racing DNF
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RXR’s final win came off the back of a Q2 heat win, but their day didn’t start in as strong a fashion – a trend shared with the other main championship contenders.
In the first part of qualifying, contact from the McLaren entry left RXR with a puncture that led to them finishing a lap down. The team was on course for second in its Q2 heat, but a delay for Carl Cox Motorsport’s Lia Block in disengaging the speed limiter in a slow zone brought about by a roll for Ganassi’s RJ Anderson allowed the team to breeze past.
Acciona Sainz had an equally frustrating Q1, retiring after a loss of bodywork caused a wire to disconnect and short-circuit the entire car. The team rebounded to win in Q2, but a 5s penalty for improper use of the Hyperdrive dropped the team down to second. That Q2 race proved to be an attritional affair, with Veloce – third in the championship going into this weekend – Andretti Altawkilat, and Abt Cupra all retiring.
Abt was first to fall, with Klara Andersson flipping violently at the first turn after contact from McLaren’s Hedda Hosaas. Andersson emerged from the car unscathed and the race was subsequently red flagged, and the restart lasted almost a full lap before Veloce’s Molly Taylor suffered collapsed front suspension.
The failure caused her to slow significantly, leaving Andretti’s Catie Munnings with nowhere to go. She hit and climbed the rear of the Veloce car, and then was pitched into a roll.
“During today’s Qualifying 2 in Chile, Catie was involved in an incident on the opening lap following a race restart,” the team said. “She walked away from the incident, and was seen by the on-site medical team.
“Following their assessment, Catie has been taken to a local hospital for further precautionary checks.”
The incidents brought an early end to Abt Cupra and Andretti’s days, with the series’ sole spare car having already been claimed by Ganassi after Anderson’s own roll in Q1. Andretti is unlikely to continue racing on Sunday, while an Abt Cupra spokesman told RACER that the team will be working all night to try and make Sunday’s opening qualifying session. Abt Cupra and Andretti should have started the Redemption race, but their enforced absences left only three cars in the consolation contest.
Carl Cox Motorsport won it in convincing fashion, with Timo Scheider delaying his use of Hyperdrive off the start to leapfrog the rest of the field into Turn 1. The strong start gave the team a 9.738s lead over Ganassi at the Switch, a lead that Block extended further during her stint.
JBXE’s Andreas Bakkerud and Tamara Molinaro, the third of the three starters, had their race end prematurely on the final lap due to power steering failure.
Copper X Prix I Redemption Race
Carl Cox Motorsport, 8m 36.520s
GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing, + 15.012s
JBXE, DNF
Abt Cupra, DNS
Andretti Altawkilat, DNS
Looking ahead to Sunday’s final round of the season, RXR’s win gives them a six-point lead over of Acciona Sainz with 29 still to play for. Veloce sits a further 29 points back from the second placed team, meaning they’re now out of title contention. After rolling in Q1, championship outsiders Ganassi are out of title contention entirely as well, along with X44.