Neustadt, 10. July 2022. Rosberg X Racing claimed a sensational win in the second of two back-to-back X Prix on Sardinia, now leading the 2022 Extreme E Championship with 80 points.
The squad around Nico Rosberg were once again the dominating force on the Army Training area at Capo Teulada that saw top times and an impressive performance from both Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Johan Kristoffersson. After a 30-second penalty put the team down from P1 to P3 following the first Island X Prix on Thursday, RXR were geared up for a strong rebound in the second race. Thorough preparations and two flawless qualifying sessions were the ideal start to this weekend. The Semi-final would become another smooth run for RXR, as Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky headed out first and made an aggressive start, which put her in front of Sanz in the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE car. Johan Kristoffersson took over a comfortable lead from his teammate and got the RXR ODYSSEY21 over the line first, securing the team a spot in the NEOM Island X Prix II Final.
Johan Kristoffersson started the final race once again from P4, taking the middle-right lane after the start. Sliding in right behind the ABT Cupra XE car at the merging of the tracks, the Swede chased down the frontrunner Nasser Al-Attiyah until the switch zone. All eyes were on Åhlin-Kottulinsky at this point, as it was down to her to close the gap and get in front of Jutta Kleinschmidt. While Kleinschmidt struggled to fasten her seat belt, which would later cause the team to be disqualified, Åhlin-Kottulinsky made good use of an opportunity that opened at the mud pit. With an impressive water jump, the Swede overtook the ABT Cupra car through the bumpy section. Using hyperdrive, she flew off to leave the rest of the grid behind her as she pushed the ODYSSEY21 across the finish line with a lead of eight seconds on the second-placed X44. Thanks to another Continental Traction Challenge win and a yield of 25 points from Round 3 of the 2022 Extreme E Championship, Rosberg X Racing now lead with a total of 80 Points. Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing driver, said: “I am very happy. It was a phenomenal weekend for us, starting with a good qualifying and a very fast pace in the super sector. The car felt amazing all week and we have got to thank the team for that. They worked very hard, and it paid off. My final run was smooth, but Nasser was incredibly fast, so I just tried to stay as close as possible to him, to give Mikaela the best possible basis for her run, and she made good use of it with a fantastic move. It’s a team achievement that we can all be proud of.”
Rosberg X Racing driver Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, added: “It’s been my strongest Extreme E weekend so far. We worked so hard, Johan and I analysed everything to try and improve even more. The final was an absolute blast for me, waiting for the right opportunity to overtake Jutta. After this week, and everything that happened during the first race, I just feel like this is the ending that we deserved, and I am very happy for the team.”
Nico Rosberg, Founder and CEO of Rosberg X Racing, commented: “It is such a pleasure for me to work with this team. It reminds me of my F1 days. It’s a great team effort with everyone giving their best and being at the height of their game. Both drivers have been performing at an incredibly high level. Johan was the star of Race 1 in NEOM. Mikaela was the star of Sardinia with her speed and incredible pass for the win through the river, during the last lap. I couldn’t be prouder.”