Extreme E back at Capo Teulada: Preview of the 2023 Island X Prix in Sardinia

Extreme E in Bella Italia: The races of the electric series at Capo Teulada in Sardinia are now firmly part of the annual travel schedule. Already for the third time Extreme E drives on the military site in the south of the Mediterranean island, even if the route was drastically shortened this year. The previous winners were Rosberg X Racing (2) and Chip Ganassi Racing. In our preview you will find out when and where you can watch the sessions, which drivers are new and who has the best chances.

Where will the Extreme E race take place?

Capo Teulada is the only venue that has always been part of the Extreme E race calendar since Season 1. The track is located in southwestern Sardinia and is actually a military training area. The next bigger town, Teulada, is located about 20 kilometers to the north. Due to its gorgeous coastal landscape, the region attracts more and more tourists and surfers, although it was only opened to the public a few years ago.

What has happened since the last race in Sanquhar?

Ahead of the Island X Prix, the driver carousel has been spinning. For one thing, Nasser Al-Attiyah is indisposed at ABT Cupra. He is contesting parallel races in the Baja Cross Country World Cup. Former X44 driver and multiple Extreme E winner Sebastien Loeb is standing in for him alongside Klara Andersson. The two are otherwise competing against each other in WRX this year.

At Carl Cox Motorsports, Lia Block - daughter of the late off-road icon Ken Block - replaces Italian Christine GZ for the remaining races this season. The 16-year-old has made her mark in the American off-road series Nitrocross NEXT and American Rally Association Championship.

Team	Female Driver	Male Driver
ABT Cupra	Klara Andersson	Sebastian Loeb
Acciona | Sainz XE Team	Laia Sanz	Mattias Ekström
Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E	Catie Munnings	Timmy Hansen
Carl Cox Motorsports	Lia Block	Timo Scheider
JBXE	Hedda Hosas	Andreas Bakkerud
Neom McLaren Extreme E	Emma Gilmour	Tanner Foust
No. 99 GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing	Amanda Sorensen	RJ Anderson
Rosberg X Racing	Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky	Johan Kristoffersson
Veloce Racing	Molly Taylor	Kevin Hansen
X44 Vida Carbon Racing	Christina Gutierrez	Fraser McConnell

Nobody does it like Loeb! ?

Check out some of Loeb's best moments from season 1 and 2... and now he's back for more!#ExtremeE #IslandXPrix #Motorsport pic.twitter.com/X2C2UpTUuR

- Extreme E (@ExtremeELive) June 29, 2023

The Championship Drivers, i.e. cross-team substitute drivers, for the Island X Prix are Tamara Molinaro and EuroRX1 star Patrick O'Donovan. Extreme E itself has also seen some changes since the E-Prix in Scotland. Ali Russell, previously head of marketing for the series, now takes on the role of Managing Director. Alejandro Agag remains CEO.

As Extreme E announced, half of all teams have now taken on a talent from the "Racing-for-All" initiative of "The Hamilton Commission". The programme supports up-and-coming mechanical and engineering talent in motorsport, regardless of their background.

When are the Extreme-E sessions, who broadcasts them on TV & Livestream?

The schedule for the two Extreme E races at Capo Teulada - all X Prix are held as a "double-header" in this season - is as follows. While the first qualifying session of each race day will be broadcast live, the second qualifying session will be included in the coverage of the finale.

Day	Date	Session	Time (CEST)	Platform
Saturday	08.07.2023	Qualifying 1	10:00-11:30	YouTube, extreme-e.com, Facebook, Twitter
Saturday	08.07.2023	Final	16:00-18:00	YouTube, extreme-e.com, Facebook, Twitter
Sunday	09.07.2023	Qualifying 1	10:00-11:30	YouTube, extreme-e.com, Facebook, Twitter
Sunday	09.07.2023	Final	16:00-18:00	YouTube, extreme-e.com, Facebook, Twitter

 

What is the race track at Capo Teulada like?

Compared to the previous rounds in Saudi Arabia and Great Britain, the surface in Sardinia is much firmer and consists mainly of dust and stones. The circuit itself has been significantly shortened compared to last year and is now only 2.9 kilometers long. For this, per driver two laps are completed before or after the driver change.

In general, the Island X Prix is a fairly fast course - Extreme E itself speaks of the "fastest" - with fluid sections interrupted by tight corners. Various racing lines through the dried riverbed, for example, are bordered by bushes and trees and provide opportunities for overtaking, but also for accidents.

What is Extreme E's legacy program at Capo Teulada?

Extreme E maintains or expands its previous legacy programs in Sardinia. For example, together with the MEDSES Foundation, a "forest for bees" is to be created, since the fierce fires of 2021 destroyed not only the trees but also the habitat for insects, for example. To counteract this, the electric series is planting half a hectare of trees in Sardinia, which will in particular provide new habitat for bees. In addition, the previous legacy project to grow sea grass on the coast will be continued.

What will the weather be like?

This weekend, Extreme E drivers can expect hot Summer weather with a predicted 14 hours of sunshine and temperatures with highs of 36 degrees Celsius. Rain is not in the cards, but gusty winds can occur.

Who are the favorites?

Historically, Rosberg X Racing has been the most successful team at the Island X Prix, winning two of three races. In 2022, Chip Ganassi Racing also celebrated its first Extreme E victory in Sardinia. These are the teams you should have on your radar. But other teams have since staked claims.

In addition to perennial rivals Rosberg and X44, Veloce in particular is among the favorites this season with driver lineup Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor - they've already won two of the four races this season. Andretti, Chip Ganassi, McLaren and Carl Cox also made a comeback with podium results at Sanquhar and could be among the front runners again at the Island X Prix.