Kiwi rally star Emma Gilmour will make her Extreme E debut later this month in the arctic chills of Greenland.
A three-time Rally New Zealand championship runner-up, Gilmour stepped up to the Veloce Extreme E team as a reserve driver this year.
Each team consists of one male and one female driver.
Veloce’s regular female driver, Jamie Chadwick, will race in the W Series at Spa-Francorchamps at the same time as the Greenland rally.
It means Gilmour has been called up to fill the boots and will race alongside Stephane Sarrazin for the two-day event.
For Gilmour, the opportunity is one she is eager to grasp with both hands.
“I’m so excited to get started,” she said.
“I have been involved with Veloce Racing in my role as Reserve Driver so far this season but now to be able to get behind the wheel and go racing is going to be incredible.”
If the first two rounds of Extreme E’s inaugural season suggest anything, it is that nothing can be prepared heading into each event.
The first two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Senegal challenged drivers with sandy conditions.
The upcoming Greenland race will be significantly different as drivers battle with rocks, boulders, and glacial sediment.
“The key is to expect the unexpected,” Gilmour said.
“Extreme E has proven in its first two races that anything can – and probably will – happen.
“So, I’m going to try and prepare for every eventuality.”
Gilmour will also be a part of motorsport history with the Arctic X-Prix the first-ever motor racing event held in Greenland.
“It’s going to be the biggest test of my skills to-date and to do it against such a spectacular backdrop is going to make it even more special,” she said.
The Arctic X-Prix is on August 28-29.
Start times are yet to be determined but the event will be broadcast live on TVNZ.
