Sardinia, 23 October 2021. Rosberg X Racing delivered a masterclass in resilience during the Enel X Island X Prix to secure a Semi Final slot and valuable championship points ahead of tomorrow’s race.
Leading the championship by nine points, RXR consolidated their strong performance so far this season finishing in P2 overall with an aggregate time of 11:47.328, setting them up for a strong position for Sunday’s racing.
Running first in Qualifying Round 1, Kristoffersson started the action for RXR with a clinical lap despite a challenging, compacted surface and the first water splash of the season so far. Taylor showed her tenacity yet again, rectifying the ODYSSEY 21 almost immediately after a roll and only losing a few seconds to bring the car back safely.
Following detailed repairs by the RXR team, Taylor and Kristoffersson showed their determination in Qualifying Round 2 finishing only 18.370 seconds off the lead. Last in the running order, Kristoffersson seized the opportunity to close the gap to the leaders finishing third in the session. Despite suffering a puncture in the final corners of the circuit, the team secured a Semi Final slot ahead of tomorrow’s action.
Following the two qualifying sessions, Rosberg X Racing driver, Johan Kristoffersson commented: “Today was a good day overall and I’m pleased with our final result. The circuit is very challenging so it was important to find new lines and work out what will be the best racing line ahead of the race tomorrow. The first qualifying session is often when I have the highest adrenaline during the weekend but as soon as I was out on track, I was able to put my head down and concentrate on the racing. The field is looking extremely competitive this weekend so I’m looking forward to some exciting wheel-to-wheel action tomorrow.”
Molly Taylor, Rosberg X Racing driver, added: “Today was a tale of two halves for me, I had a roll in my first session but luckily I was able to rectify the car almost immediately and finish my session without too much time lost. The team worked tirelessly as ever to prepare the car for our second session so I’m thrilled with our result and ready for the Semi Final tomorrow.”
Kimmo Liimatainen, Rosberg X Racing Team Principal, said: “We knew this circuit was going to be extremely tough and today proved how unforgiving it can be. Molly showed her impressive resilience again after her roll and both drivers delivered some excellent performances. Free Practice showed us how important the ride height is for this terrain and the team worked hard on the suspension set up so I’m pleased with what we achieved. Now we look ahead to tomorrow and hopefully finish the weekend with the result the team deserves.”