There is no doubt about the power that sports have on people. The ability to influence fans reaches a level beyond comprehension and series like Extreme E, Pure ETCR and eSkootr know it. They have come together at the Green Racing Virtual Summit # 2 to discuss and define the future of motorsports, where the clean energy supply company, Enel X, plays a fundamental role.
Motor, electricity, passion, speed and adrenaline are the main characteristics of green competitions. However, the recently described divisions transcend to another level by addressing important issues, such as climate change, gender equality, safety and social responsibility. Therefore, we invite you to review each of the strengths, visions and thoughts of these categories.
Extreme E
Julia Fry, Head of Communications for Extreme E, revealed important details about the 100% electrified off-road category, starting from sustainability and going a little further than what has already been done for this sector. “Alejandro Agag saw an opportunity to go further, something more extreme, complementing the idea by addressing climate change.”
Extreme? Yes, but behind the Odyssey 21 lie a plethora of values that Extreme E has taken it upon itself to promote as its primary mission. Gender equality is one of them. One male and one female driver are part of the teams that make life at each X Prix, visiting incredible locations, filling the fans’ screens with speed, but also promoting a second super important message: climate change through respected characters in motorsports (Carlos Sainz, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, among others).
“It’s about making people see that it’s all about responsibility. Motorsports is one of the most powerful platforms to reach people. It’s an important way to engage people about these (climate change) messages,” Fry continued. Of course, the competition has far exceeded expectations, reaching various corners of the globe in an effort to get its awareness message across.
“The reception has been incredible. Some 17 or 18 million people watching us… And we continue to grow. The feedback has been that (people) love to see a different concept of the sport. With three races so far we continue to grow and learn all the time.”
Fry explained that the key and main focus of Extreme E is to “take viewers to these locations (where racing happens) making it as entertaining as possible, but at the same time, opening their eyes to the issues affecting these regions”.
Pure ETCR
This 100% electrified division serves as the first touring car series, managing to reach the hearts of fans quickly due to the design of the cars, performance and racing concept applied by them, and this is how Xavier Gavory, Director of Pure ETCR, sees it, bringing a totally different panorama within the reach of fans since the series started in June, in Vallelunga
“We definitely have a lot of things in common with Extreme E. If you like motorsport and racing, Pure ETCR will delight you, because it has all the ingredients for it….. We are a new series that has been created in 2021. It was supposed to be in 2020, but we had to postpone it for the reasons you all know (COVID-19).”
The speed is present on the cars, making exciting battles on the tracks. “Here you have the possibility to see a real experience on touring cars, very different from normal ETCR cars. In fact, they can reach 500 kW, maybe, it doesn’t sound very appealing to motorsport fans but this comes to about 700 horsepower,” Gavory pointed out.
Beyond the on-track action, sustainability also plays a key role for them… “We have to stay focused on our initial mission, which is to promote electromobility to many audiences as a global social responsibility.” Without a doubt, Pure ETCR engages motorsport enthusiasts through the racing mode and multiple events that highlight a new side of racing that can easily engage fans of speed.
“It is a common goal and everyone must be reached (young, women, men, adults). With the format we are handling, we do something like a video game style, having drones flying around the tracks, which is unprecedented; we have Grand Slam tournament-type battle formats; sprint races; pick and choose formats on your cell phone where you can get in, get out. There you see one battle, then you see another one, you can log out and log back in. There are many possibilities to make Pure ETCR attractive.”
The ability to see everyday cars competing on the touring car category is an advantage within the sustainable automotive market, as it encourages people to take one of these models home. “With our work, I think we proved that electromobility is attractive, fun and provides thrills, especially for the vehicles of the division, which are sporty versions that you can buy on the street. So it’s very easy for people to say, ‘OK, I love this car, I want to buy it.’ That’s the idea.
eSkootr Championship
It set aside vehicles or motorcycles and focused on micromobility, taking this sector towards electrified motorsports. They are currently gearing up to debut in 2022 through their scooter division. Many talented riders will be there, reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, but beyond that, the purpose of their message goes beyond clean energy to embrace safety, as Dr. Cristina Pace, Chair of the Sustainability Commission at eSkootr Championship, explained.
“eSkootr is a new championship that we will see next year, which promotes not only sustainability but education, safety and all these macro-mobility basics. We want to bring safety to become more and more mainstream.” In fact, raising awareness about the most important aspects when boarding a vehicle has become the main basis of the series.
eSkootr series has relied on the company YCOM to develop and optimize the official scooter of the championship, turning the piece into a lethal weapon when touring the circuits, without forgetting safety as the main emblem.
Enel X
Although they are not a sports category, their work plays a fundamental role for the operation, development and projection of sustainable mobility, both on and off the tracks. Studying, developing and promoting the use of clean energies is part of the company’s mission, and it has a strong involvement in several motorsport divisions. Michele Cecchini, Head of eMotorsport at Enel X, endorses the contribution of these categories and reveals how his company manages to work together for sustainability.
Enel X’s work plays a fundamental role in the operation, development and projection of sustainable mobility, both on and off the tracks. Studying, developing and promoting the use of clean energy is part of the company’s mission, and it has a strong involvement in several motorsport divisions. Michele Cecchini, head of eMotorsport at Enel X, endorses the contribution of these categories and reveals how his company manages to work together in favor of sustainability.
“What I think of these programs is that they do amazing things. Extreme E, Pure ETCR, eScootr, they have very different applications and requirements, but at the same time, they follow the same path, oriented to the use of green energy. We have been working with most of them and I can tell you that in order to manage the energy transition to a fully sustainable scenario, we have in mind that we all want to create renewable ways of producing and using energy.”
Technology development has a lot to do with it. Enel X takes advantage of this section and integrates it into their work program in order to extract as much potential as possible. “The mix is the key, because the technology mix, the way they integrate it and make it adjustable to the different requirements of their championships, I think that’s the trick. We’ve been testing, developing and using them, working together on new solutions, for example, hydrogen applications, chargers, super chargers, etc.”
“You have to keep in mind that the real vision is to make motorsport sustainable in the future. The key is to use what we have in the best possible way. Optimize and improve what is available without wasting anything, especially when we talk about energy.”
Michele Cecchini
Written by | Ronald Ortega
