Andretti Autosport announces Extreme E entry
Andretti Autosport has become the first American team, and sixth team overall, to join the Extreme E electric SUV off-road racing series.
The Extreme E championship will unfold over five rounds of competition, each featuring two days of head-to-head, knockout racing highlighting the impact of climate change and human influences while raising awareness, driving sustainability and inspiring action.
The 10-kilometer (6.1 mile) circuits will be staged in some of the most remarkable, remote and severely damaged locations on the planet: Kangerlussuaq in Greenland, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, Al-‘Ula in Saudi Arabia, the Nepalese Himalayas and Lac Rose near Dakar, Senegal, where climate issues to highlight include rising carbon emissions, global heating and melting arctic ice, rising sea levels, droughts and desertification, deforestation, plastic pollution and more.
“We remain dedicated to expanding and diversifying our team effort, in both traditional motorsport and with new, revolutionary racing concepts,” said Michael Andretti. “I think that Extreme E is an exciting opportunity for the team as we continue to grow globally.
“The current COVID-19 crisis is bringing attention to a changing world, and our traditional mindsets have to adapt with that. We feel that announcing now can help bring hope for the future of motorsport and a new focus to the sustainability message. I believe the entire motorsport industry is going to emerge from this time stronger than ever, and I look forward to seeing our team join Extreme E to do our part in leaving an impactful legacy in each race location.”
Teams are scheduled to each take delivery of their ODYSSEY 21 E-SUVs in late October of this year, with a group test of the vehicles to take place shortly thereafter.
“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Andretti Autosport, a true powerhouse in racing, as the latest team to join Extreme E,” said series founder and CEO Alejandro Agag.
“Andretti Autosport has achieved across multiple disciplines at the highest level of our sport over many years. The team has a real passion for motorsport, both as a driver of change and in promoting sustainable practices and technologies, making its decision to join Extreme E at this early stage, a natural one.
“Extreme E is an ambitious new project born out of a concern for the future of our planet, and now more than ever, as motorsport adapts its behaviors and values to stay relevant in these changing times, that concern is critical for us all to consider.
“Andretti Autosport has been fine-tuning its expertise in electric racing as a founding Formula E outfit, and off-road as multiple rallycross title-winners. These experiences will be invaluable in making the jump into Extreme E. That said, the series is a unique prospect all of its own. The sporting challenge will be intense and the scope for innovation is far-reaching, and I for one am eager to see how the Andretti Autosport team adapts to its new test.”
Andretti Autosport, Extreme E, Off Road