In the run up to Extreme E’s Season 3, the championship has revealed a new racing format, one that will showcase double the racing action with no additional carbon footprint.
Each X Prix will now be a doubleheader and play host to back-to-back rounds across the weekend. This means double the opportunity for wins, podiums and crucial points across the ten-race calendar over the course of the campaign.
Extreme E’s Season 3 in Saudi Arabia will also debut the availability of an ‘ENOWA Hyperdrive’ boost to all drivers in the race. Activated when the driver presses a button on their steering wheel, they will enjoy an increase in power for a fixed amount of time – however, the timing for this will be a key decision.
The upcoming season will feature the pressure of five-car races in both Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2. Qualifying Round 1 and Qualifying Round 2 will now consist of two heats, five cars each. This means four wheel-to-wheel races will determine who comes out on top in what promises to be a nail-biting contest. A race may be run continuously to finish or may be made up of several segments called heats, which is usually run over the same course at different times.
Intermediate Classification Points are awarded for Q1 and Q2, with a single championship point awarded to the winners of each heat – something that could prove crucial in the closing stages of the season.
This will be followed by the grand final, starring the top five teams from qualifying, with the winner taking the top step of the podium. The remaining five teams will battle it out in Redemption Race, where all important championship points are still at stake.
Additionally, with the doubleheader element, the above format will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, meaning two winners will be crowned at each race weekend.
Distances for each X Prix course and the number of laps will vary depending on the characteristics of the location, such as the terrain and the environmental conditions. What remains consistent is a driver changeover in the ‘Switch Zone’, taking place at the halfway point.