RXR champions as rivals X44 take maiden win

Rosberg X Racing secures the inaugural Extreme E championship despite victory for championship rivals X44.

RXR and X44 end the season level on 155 championship points, but RXR’s domination on race day secures Nico Rosberg’s team the championship title.

It was a tense final race of the season as an apparent problem dropped Molly Taylor down to fourth, but fourth was enough to secure the title.

Christina Gutierrez in the X44 got the best start off the line with Taylor close behind, but Taylor couldn’t stick with her championship rival.

Before long, she was under attack from the JBXE car driven by Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky. Ahlin-Kottulinsky found a way past Taylor and began to close the gap to the X44 car while Taylor fell behind Catie Munnings in the Andretti.

As the field approached the switch zone, Munnings and Ahlin-Kottulinsky were the closest battle. Munnings was almost able to get alongside the JBXE car as they approached the switch zone but instead span around, losing valuable time but not position.

There was little drama for X44 as Sebastien Loeb took over the car. It was a perfect drive for the rally champion and he crossed the line first, but his championship attack depended on the Sainz squad of Carlos Sainz and Laia Sans attacking RXR.

It was a slow switch zone for Sainz and he came out 10 seconds behind Johan Kristoffersson in the RXR machine. Despite a strong drive from Sainz, he couldn’t close the gap and a trouble free final lap from Kristoffersson ended with him crossing the line fourth.

Kevin Hansen was able to hold off brother Timmy Hansen, securing third in the championship for JBXE.

Image courtesy of Extreme E