Veloce Racing primed to take on Extreme E Season 3
Taylor and Hansen ready for first full campaign with Veloce Racing
The third season of Extreme E gets underway in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, next month (11-12 March), with Veloce Racing preparing for action in the all-electric off-road series.
Molly Taylor and Kevin Hansen have been confirmed for 2023 and both are targeting a stand-out performance at the Desert X Prix season-opener, following an impressive run with the team at the Extreme E Season 2 finale in Uruguay.
The new-look Veloce Racing line-up turned heads in the closing round of the 2022 Extreme E season, as the British squad came out on top in Qualifying for the first time. Taking that pace into Finals Day, Hansen and Taylor secured a race win on debut in Semi-Final 1, and finished the Uruguay Natural Energy X Prix in fifth – marking Veloce’s best result of the campaign.
Taylor brings invaluable expertise to Veloce Racing’s Extreme E efforts, after claiming the title in the championship’s inaugural season. The Australian helped secure three victories for RXR and returns to Extreme E with the knowledge, drive and experience that comes with winning the series.
In her wider career, Taylor became the first female to achieve a podium position in Junior WRC history, and the first female driver, and youngest at the time, to win the Australian Rally Championship with Subaru in 2016.
In early 2022 Taylor became the first Australian woman to drive the gruelling Dakar rally, and her second attempt this year saw her finish an impressive P12 in class.
As a driver for JBXE, Hansen achieved an impressive run of four podiums from his four appearances in the inaugural Extreme E season.
Hansen carried this mantle into Extreme E Season 2, competing alongside Veloce Development Driver Hedda Hosås, who joined Button’s outfit in Sardinia. The Scandinavian duo secured third place, marking a podium on debut for Hosås, in the first race of the NEOM Island X Prix double-header.
Hansen has also been a fixture in off-road racing for several years through his efforts in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. The Swede has secured multiple podiums, with his highest FIA World Rallycross Championship standing coming in 2019 when he finished third overall, securing his maiden victory in the series along the way.
The 2023 Desert X Prix will bring together some of motorsport’s leading teams and one of the most competitive off-road driver line-ups, as the ODYSSEY 21s go bumper-to-bumper across the sands of Saudi Arabia.
The fifth-place finish in Uruguay was the standout result for Veloce Racing in the team’s second season of Extreme E and their first race with Taylor and Hansen. The London-based squad is now looking to build on a strong end to 2022 and fight for podiums in this year’s Extreme E campaign.
Kevin Hansen, Veloce Racing, said: “I’m really excited to be starting my first full season with Veloce Racing, and we’re all looking forward to picking up where we left off in Uruguay.
“We showed so much promise in that season finale despite it being our first competitive race together, and we will definitely be taking those positives into this new campaign and showing the rest of the grid what we’re made of.
“Molly and I have shown we’ve got what it takes to get podiums. We work really well as a team but there is always room for improvement, so I’m looking forward to building a great partnership with her this season.”
Molly Taylor, Veloce Racing, said: “It was so exciting for me to return to Extreme E at the end of last season, and I can’t wait to get stuck in this year and see what we can achieve.
“Pre-season preparations are underway and everyone in the team is working hard to make sure we are ready to hit the ground running at the season-opener in Saudi Arabia.
“Kevin and I have a lot to learn from each other and I am sure we are only going to get better as the season develops. We will be doing all we can to get Veloce Racing its first win in Extreme E.”
Daniel Bailey, CEO and Co-Founder of Veloce Racing, added: “It’s been a very productive off season and we’ve done all that we can to ensure that our third season in Extreme E will be our best yet.
“Molly and Kevin have already built up a great working relationship, and it’s been great seeing how well they’ve slotted into the Veloce family.
“The first race of the season next month will set the tone for the year, and all of us here at Veloce Racing are excited to see what the season holds for us in 2023.”
About Veloce
Founded in 2018, Veloce is a modern media and sports rights holder operating across some of the most innovative, fastest-growing and future-focused sectors in the UK – specifically esports, gaming, purpose-driven motorsport and Web 3.0.
The Veloce brand comprises of the industry-leading elite gaming and racing platform, Veloce Esports, and purpose-driven racing outfit, Veloce Racing. Veloce is partnered with a number of high-profile teams from across the globe, including McLaren Racing, Mercedes F1 and Alfa Romeo, as well as with F1 driver Lando Norris. Headquartered in London, UK, Veloce has become the world’s largest next-gen sports, gaming and media network, with over 500 million monthly network views and more than 40 million subscribers across 45 channels.
To learn more, please visit: veloce.gg
Sources: Simon Melluish/MPA Creative