Simona de Silvestro signs up to Extreme E Drivers’ Programme
4 May, London: Simona de Silvestro becomes the latest star to join the Extreme E Drivers’ Programme, with the Swiss racer joining fellow female racers Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, Jamie Chadwick and Katherine Legge in eyeing a seat for the pioneering electric off-road racing series’ maiden season.
Simona has been a trailblazer in the sport throughout her 15-year career to-date, climbing the ranks from regional Formula Renault 2.0 in Italy and up the US motor racing ladder from Champ Car Atlantic to IndyCar Series – in a little under five years. Third spot in the Atlantic Championship earned her break into IndyCar for 2010 and with two-top ten finishes she finished second of the rookies in the final standings.
After four seasons in America’s foremost open-wheel competition, Simona caught the eye of compatriot Formula 1 outfit Sauber Motorsport, becoming an affiliated driver for the team. Later that year, ABB FIA Formula E broke cover. The then 24-year-old jumped at the chance to compete in the inaugural finale weekend and returned for Season 2 in the championship, becoming the series’ first female point-scorer at Long Beach.“I came into this sphere of motorsport from the start with Formula E and you had the feeling then it was something new and important,” started Simona. “All of us are well aware that we can’t keep going how we are now if we’re to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
“For me it’s exciting to be a part of series that are pushing the boundaries of cars and automotive technology – Formula 1 was doing that when you think back, and now with Extreme E.
“I’ve been lucky enough to race in a lot of cool places but Extreme E’s destinations are all very different – they’ll be incredible to check out and discover whilst raising awareness and changing people’s way of thinking.
“It’s a privilege to be a driver in this era and be able to try to make a difference. I’ve followed progress of electric motorsport very closely and Alejandro Agag’s vision and drive is clear to see now with Extreme E.”
Simona signs following the news that Extreme E’s driver line-ups will be a 50-50 split between males and females. As a leading light for women in motorsport, the Swiss national is delighted by the format and the prospect of a new international series opening up the opportunity for other fast females to carve out their path in a traditionally male-dominated sport.
“It’s a great idea and it’s never been done before,” she said. “In most of motorsport, as drivers, you’re kind of alone. Having the opportunity to team up with someone is great and it’s going to be a lot of fun. You’ll be approaching everything as a pair and as a team. There will be no room for selfishness and it’ll be something new to work together with the boys and try and win races.
“Most of the time throughout my career, I’ve been the only girl on the grid, so it will certainly be different. I experienced working in a more female-led environment in the 24 Hours of Daytona where we had an all-female team.
“Here, it’s cool because gender just doesn’t matter and whoever is the quickest combination of drivers, team and engineers will come out on top. It balances things out – everybody has to contribute and the format is there to create that opportunity.”
Simona has a number of races under her belt in battery-electric vehicles thanks to stints in Formula E, but has spent the vast majority of her career in circuit racing, on asphalt – most recently in Australia’s flagship Supercars Championship and in sportscars over in the States. That said, the 31-year-old is not one to shy away from pushing herself into something altogether different in Extreme E. As she rightly suggests, everyone will be in the same boat come early 2021.
“I haven’t had much experience on loose surfaces like gravel or ice so it will be extremely fun and a new challenge,” she added. “The whole concept is quite special, with the goal of raising awareness of issues facing the planet and the race locations. I’m extremely excited by it – it’s completely different and it’s a whole new way of thinking from the male/female format, the remote locations and environments. For every competitor, it’ll absolutely be something where you’ll be learning as you go.
“Experience of how electric powertrains work and deliver their power right away is something that could help me that I can bring over from Formula E but it’ll be interesting to see how that works off-road! It’s a new way of thinking.
“The car’s really powerful. I saw Ken Block complete the power stage at Dakar and that was pretty incredible so early into the car’s development – it is already pushing boundaries and it was right up there on the pace.”
The Drivers’ Programme is designed to promote professional drivers and assist teams and prospective entries. Series organisers will recommend prospective competitors from its Drivers’ Programme, however, if teams prefer, they will have the autonomy to select their own drivers from outside the pool.
Extreme E drivers will compete wheel-to-wheel on the same stages, in the same 550 horsepower E-SUVs, using the same bespoke all-terrain Continental tyres in heats, semis and finals, taking place across the series’ five formidable environments in some of the most remote regions on the planet.
As well as being used as platform for equality and the promotion of electfication, Extreme E will highlight the impact that climate change is having on its remote race locations, using a committee of leading scientists to help bring global attention to issues such as deforestation in Brazil, rising sea levels along the West African coastline, melting icecaps in Greenland, and more.
Further team, driver, sporting and partnership announcements will follow as the championship continues to take shape ahead of Season 1, starting early 2021.
About Extreme E:
Extreme E is a radical new racing series, which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet.
Provisional Extreme E Season 1 (2021) calendar:
23-24 January: Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal
5-6 March: Al-‘Ula, Saudi Arabia
14-15 May: Kali Gandaki Valley, Mustang District, Nepal
28-29 August: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
30-31 October: Santarém, Pará, Brazil
Another Extreme E is operated in association with Formula E – the organiser of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Extreme E is committed to sustainability and minimising environmental impact – as well as playing its part in re-building and restoring areas already impacted by climate change. Innovations such as remote broadcast facilities and comprehensive cross-platform coverage for spectators watching at home, rather than stage-side, ensure a minimal footprint.
Another unique feature of Extreme E is its floating garage, the RMS St. Helena. The former Royal Mail cargo-passenger vessel is undergoing a modernisation and refit in order to lower its emissions. It will be used to transport the championship’s freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port, minimising Extreme E’s emissions profile as well as facilitating scientific research through an on-board laboratory.
The series also utilises a panel of leading academics from The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, comprising its Scientific Committee tasked with driving the series’ climate advice and practice.
Head of Scientific Committee/Arctic Scientist: Professor Peter Wadhams (The University of Cambridge) Ocean Scientist: Dr Lucy Woodall (The University of Oxford/Nekton Foundation) Amazon Scientist: Francisco Oliveira PhD (The University of Cambridge) Desertification and Droughts Scientist: Professor Richard Washington (The University of Oxford/The University of Cape Town)
The committee will advise Extreme E organisers on the series’ education and research programmes, event logistics and impact as well as the recommendation of positive legacy initiatives which support local communities in each race location.
The championship made the Official Shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards 2020 in the Cutting Edge Sport Category, acknowledging the championship’s incredible progress in its first year.
About Continental:
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and networked mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transport. In 2018, Continental generated preliminary sales of approximately €44.4 billion and currently employs some 244,000 people in 60 countries and markets.
The Tyre division has 24 production and development locations worldwide. As one of the leading tyre manufacturers with around 54,000 employees, the division posted sales of €11.3 billion in 2017. Continental ranks among the technology leaders in tyre production and offers a broad product range for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers. Through continuous investment in R&D, Continental makes a major contribution to safe, cost-effective and ecologically efficient mobility. The Tyre division’s portfolio includes services for the tyre trade and for fleet applications, as well as digital management systems for commercial vehicle tyres.
About CBMM:
CBMM is the world leading supplier of niobium products and technology. Headquartered in Brazil, with offices and subsidiaries in China, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States, CBMM offers technical innovation to customers around the globe through a team of over 2,000 highly trained, dedicated professionals providing cutting-edge niobium products and technology to over 300 customers in 50 countries.
About LuisaViaRoma:
Established in 1929, LuisaViaRoma has been an online luxury destination since 1999. In 2019, LuisaViaRoma celebrated the company’s 90th anniversary, as well as the 20th anniversary of its online business.
Sources: Extreme E PR