At the recent Arctic X Prix, the latest race of the inaugural Extreme E, team Rosberg X Racing (RXR), proudly sponsored by Sunreef Yachts, set out to conquer the tundra of the Arctic. Round three of Extreme E brought the electric-SUV off-road racing series to the Russell Glacier near Kangarlussuaq in Greenland.
With the Extreme E, the Arctic X Prix made history as the first time a motorsport event was ever held in Greenland. Adding to the significance, was the great awareness that the event brought attention to – rising sea levels due to global warming and ice melt.
As an impact of rising global temperatures, the Greenland ice sheet, of which the Russell Glacier is a part, is estimated to lose 200 gigatons of ice per year. This would be enough water to fill Lake Ontario, Lake Tahoe, and the Dead Sea, combined. Not limited to Greenland alone, the melting issues impacted by global warming are causing concerns in polar regions worldwide.
In RXR’s latest instalment of their #DrivenByPurpose campaign, climate change affecting the arctic was showcased. Providing four diverse perspectives on the current challenges, were award-winning explorer Sebastian Copeland, rising climate activist Sascha Blidorf, scientist Dr. Alun Hubbard and Inuit Elder Ole Jørgen Hammeken.
A NEW TRACK, AN UPDATED FORMAT
Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor, the male-female racing duo of Eco Ambassador Nico Rosberg’s RXR team, took first place in the finals of the first two races of the 2021 Extreme E, the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia and the Ocean X Prix in Senegal.
In contrast to the desert dust of Saudi Arabia and sandy beaches of Senegal, the track layout of the Arctic X Prix was marked by rocky terrain, glacial sediment and sand dunes. There were steep elevation changes racing across the dunes, a caution-heeding “rock garden”, as well as some wider openings on the track that welcomed opportunities to steal placements.
The race format of the Ocean X-Prix also changed from the three- and four-car races of the previous Desert and Ocean X Prixs, to a five-car battle, with two teams from each of the two semi-finals and the winner of the Crazy Race progressing to the final race.
A CLOSE FINISH
Team Rosberg X Racing was able to secure one of the five finalist spots at the Arctic X Prix with the finals providing non-stop action from start to finish. While it came close for a win in approaching the finish line, Team Andretti United took the lead to place first in the final race.
With 93 points overall across the three past races, Team Rosberg X Racing still retains top placement in the Extreme E series. The next race will be the Island X Prix, set for October 23 and 24th in Sardinia, Italy followed by the fifth and final race which will be announced.
