New Zealand rally driver Emma Gilmour and ten time X Games medalist Tanner Foust are readying themselves for the 2023 Extreme E season-opener in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Both drivers will return to the Neom McLaren Extreme E team this year after the pair earnt the team its first-ever podium in the series in 2022. However, they will be met with a new sporting format this time round.
Each X Prix will now be a double header event, featuring qualifying and races on both the Saturday and Sunday of the race weekend.
The championship will also introduce a five-car race qualifying format in both Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2, where each qualifying round will consist of two five-car heats. The winner of each heat will score a championship point.
The Grand Final will follow, which will feature the top five cars from qualifying, while the bottom five will compete in the Redemption Race.
This will be Gilmour’s third season in the series after she became the first female racing driver to join McLaren Racing in November 2021 after she competed for Veloce Racing the year prior.
“I can’t wait to get back to NEOM, Saudi Arabia. I’m really looking forward to seeing the team again, we have so much to build on from our first season together and it was a really big learning curve,” said Gilmour.
“We had really good speed in the second half of Season 2, so I think we will be stronger as a team this year.
“The new sporting format is really exciting and will add different challenges and more racing, so I’m very much looking forward to that as well.
“It’s amazing to be continuing with the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team and with Tanner for Season 3, as well as Leena, Teena and the team we have around us. I can’t wait for the season to get started!”
Foust also expressed his excitement for the upcoming season saying: “I’m super excited for the 2023 Extreme E season to get underway with the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team.”
“I’m also looking forward to being reunited with the team as well as Emma for the season ahead.
“The new sporting format, including the new double header events, is really exciting and will put a lot of pressure on teams to keep their cars in one piece for what will be long weekends of racing.”
The 2023 Desert X Prix in NEOM, Saudi Arabia will run from 11 to 12 March, 2023.
