What’s on this week
Entertainment, equality, environment – the three Es that encapsulate what Extreme E stands for were highlighted as the innovative new off-road all-electric championship took its bow last weekend following months of build-up and fanfare.
The Desert X-prix, the first of five rounds of Formula E co-founder Alejandro Agag’s latest enterprise, took place in the Alula region of Saudi Arabia with a contingent of motorsport’s elite, including teams from Formula 1 world champions Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg, as well as high-profile drivers such as nine-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb, World Rallycross star Timmy Hansen and inaugural W Series champion Jamie Chadwick.
It seemed fitting, then, that the coverage of last Sunday’s main event wasn’t tucked away on some obscure TV channel, but instead had a primetime slot on terrestrial television with a one-hour showing on ITV1, as well as appearing on the BBC’S Red Button. BT Sport 1 and Sky Sports Main Event also showcased the new series during the weekend.
The fact that the coverage was made available across a number of channels, and mainstream ones at that, means the Fia-sanctioned series and its message is likely to grab the interest of not only seasoned motorsport veterans but also those completely new to the sport. But what of those three Es mentioned at the start of the show?
There was certainly no lack of entertainment in the qualifying and semi-finals, which included many thrills and spills that were recapped briefly at the beginning of Sunday’s programme. Sadly, the same couldn’t be said of the final. With more dust than expected (yes, even for the desert), the format had already been tweaked days before the event to make it safer for drivers. Regardless, zero visibility for chasing cars meant the trio of Odyssey machines in the final were separated by 30-second intervals almost from the beginning.
After that, the efforts of seasoned commentators Andrew Coley, Jennie Gow and Karun Chandhok to stoke some enthusiasm into the 11-and-a-halfminute race was always going to be a tall order, but the knowledgeable trio did shed light on different aspects of the category, including the ‘Hyperdrive’ power boost and the ‘Gridplay’ public vote.
The in-house production itself was complemented
by a plethora of information, from a car’s speed and torque, to where it was on the course, via neat graphics and mini pop-up boxes.
The camera angles included onboard shots – which unsurprisingly were of limited use given the amount of dust – but without doubt the highlights were the expansive aerial shots, with miles of desert and stunning rock formations stretching into the distance, showcasing the incredible scenery.
Plenty of interviews were scattered throughout the programme, which will only help to bring less established drivers, such as race winner Molly Taylor, to wider public attention. This is where equality comes into the mix, with each crew required to have a male and a female driver as part of its line-up.
But the most significant E for Extreme E is without doubt the environment and the ‘bigger picture’. It’s no secret that the mission of Extreme E, by competing on different continents and in diverse climates, while also leaving behind a legacy programme, is to highlight the damage being done to the planet. The production doesn’t hold back in repeating this message. It’s to be expected, and was just on the right side of being insightful rather than feeling like holier-than-thou rhetoric being rammed down your throat, but only time will tell if that remains the case throughout the remaining rounds.
Original ideas are hard to come by, but there’s no question that Extreme E’s novel approach could bring in a new wave of fans, and perhaps even make a difference to the planet.