Rosberg X Racing strike back as X44 take Top Qualifier spot - classification Artic XPrix 28.08.2021: Extreme E championship leaders Rosberg X Racing struck back after a difficult Q1 with the fastest time in Q2 at the Arctic X Prix, despite rain at the end of the session in Greenland for Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson.

Extreme E championship leaders Rosberg X Racing struck back after a difficult Q1 with the fastest time in Q2 at the Arctic X Prix, despite rain at the end of the session in Greenland for Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson.



The RXR team worked hard between the sessions to repair the ODYSSEY 21 E-SUV after it was rolled over Q1, and the Swedish-Australian driver pairing repaid the mechanics efforts with a best time of 14:26.647.



Cristina Gutierrez (ESP)/Sebastien Loeb (FRA), X44 during the Arctic X-Prix at Kangerlussuaq on August 28, 2021 in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. (Photo by Colin McMaster / LAT Images)




It was a run of consistency as the pair didn’t set a single fastest sector time, Kristoffersson having a big push through the second lap after the driver switch and the combined effort lifted the team to third in qualifying.





Fastest in Q1, the X44 line-up of Sebastien Loeb and Cristina Gutierrez continued their impressive qualifying form in Extreme E season one with the second best time in Q2, 10.951 behind the session winners to hold onto the Top Qualifier position.



Also fighting back from issues in Q1, Andretti United drivers Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings finished third in Q2, ahead of another recovering team, Kevin Hansen and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky in the JBXE entry.



Adding to their sixth fastest time in Q1, the ACCIONA | Sainz XE duo of Carlos Sainz and Laia Sanz were fifth in Q2, Sainz setting the best sector one time of the session. Veloce Racing ended up sixth, despite suffering broken power steering in the opening corners of the first 8.6 kilometre lap with Stephane Sarrazin at the wheel, but he made it to the switch zone and debutant Emma Gilmour completed the run with gritted teeth, even setting the fastest sector four time of Q2.



ABT CUPRA XE driver Mattias Ekstrom picked up two rear punctures on the team’s ODYSSEY 21 E-SUV and despite efforts from the Swede himself and a team mechanic while Jutta Kleinschmidt climbed into the driver’s seat, only one of the wheels could be changed in the switch zone and the team was forced to retire from Q2.



Xite Energy Racing’s ODYSSEY 21 dropped into two-wheel-drive with Oliver Bennett at the controls on the first lap of Q2 for the team and he returned to the paddock to retire after getting stuck out on track, while poor fortune again befell the Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing team, Kyle Leduc forced to retire from the first lap of Q2 with broken left-rear suspension.





 Qualifying 2 Standings

1: ROSBERG X RACING | 14:26.647

2: X44 | +10.951

3: ANDRETTI UNITED | +14.917

4: JBXE | +15.455

5: ACCIONA | SAINZ | +30.377

6: VELOCE RACING | +1:56.163

7: ABT CUPRA | +1 LAP

8: XITE ENERGY RACING | +2 LAPS

9: SEGI TV CHIP GANASSI RACING | +2 LAPS





Intermediate Standings

1: X44 | 17 Points

2: ABT CUPRA XE | 11 Points

3: ROSBERG X RACING | 11 Points

4: ANDRETTI UNITED | 10 Points

5: VELOCE RACING | 10 Points

6: ACCIONA | SAINZ | 9 Points

7: SEGI TV CHIP GANASSI RACING | 8 Points

8: JBXE | 7 Points

9: XITE ENERGY RACING | 7 Points



All timings are provisional.

 



Julia Fry  photo © Colin McMaster