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• Lewis Hamilton launches race team for new E-SUV competition.
• The team is named X44 and pays homage to Hamilton's number on his F1 cars since 2013.
• The series, called Extreme E, will kick off in Senegal in 2021 and aims to be the blueprint for future motorsport events.
Six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton launched a motorsport team, X44, that is set to compete in the inaugural Extreme E season.
The number 44 has been part of Hamilton's racing career since his junior career.
The new racing series pits electric-powered SUVs against each other in locations around the world that have been impacted by climate change.
Hamilton said in a press statement: "Extreme E really appealed to me because of its environmental focus. Every single one of us has the power to make a difference, and it means so much to me that I can use my love of racing, together with my love for our planet, to have a positive impact.
"Not only will we visit remote locations facing the front line of the climate crisis, we will also work closely with these locations and leading climate experts to share our knowledge and leave behind a positive legacy in each location which goes far beyond the race track."
Teams will race an E-SUV named Odyssey 21, manufactured by Spark Racing Technology. The 410kW racing SUV's bodywork can be customised to resemble road models. It has a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds, at gradients of up to 130%.
It has a battery produced by Williams Advanced Engineering, it encompasses a niobium-reinforced steel alloy tubular frame, and its purpose built tyres Continental Tyres.
The series will kick off in Senegal in early 2021 and to minimise its carbon footprint will not be open to fans. Instead, the racing can be viewed live on televsion and social media.
"We are thrilled to welcome Lewis Hamilton and his X44 team to Extreme E. Like us, Lewis is hugely passionate about motorsport, but also shares our belief that we can use sport to highlight subjects which are vital to the world, such as climate change and equality," said Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO at Extreme E.
"Lewis is one of the most successful drivers of all time, and we’re all excited to see how his X44 team performs on and off the race track under his incredible guidance."
Read the original article here.
X44 joins Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti United, Abt and HWA , Techeetah, QEV Technologies and Veloce Racing as confirmed teams to Extreme E.
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Compiled by Sean Parker
