Click for more.
The first-ever FIA Extreme H World Cup kicks-off tomorrow, Thursday 9 October, with the Time Trial contest.* Eight teams and 16 drivers have been getting their first runs of the new Pioneer 25 hydrogen-powered race car in Qiddiya City ahead of the real racing.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and it’s been great to hear the teams are talking about how to get the best performance out of the car, rather than talking about reliability issues,” explained Mark Grain, Technical Director, FIA Extreme H World Cup. “The drivers are using all the tools that are available to them, the new tools like the Fox live valve and those damper maps are actively being used. The more toys you can give great racing drivers, the better – they love all this.”**
Among the improvements made to Pioneer 25 over the outgoing Extreme E Odyssey 21, are changes to the suspension, balance, and center of gravity to make the new car an all-round more capable machine than its predecessor. Not only that, but the addition of active dampers from Fox allow drivers to adjust the car on the fly to eke out even more performance.
“Driving the hydrogen car was a great step up from the Extreme E car,” said Team Hansen’s Catie Munnings. “I think the geometry, the suspension, the upgrades they’ve made have made it feel much more like an off-road car that’s capable of hitting bigger ruts and bigger bumps. The suspension’s a big difference, and there’s a lot for us to play with now with the active dampers. It’s really exciting to be a part of that and see how the hydrogen system is also interacting with the motor to charge it while we’re on track. “It’s been an intense couple of days, but I’m really happy with the car and I really enjoy going out on track in it every time.”
Drivers also spoke about how there is more scope for adjustment with the Pioneer 25, meaning drivers and teams can have even more influence on how it performs than ever before.
“There’s so many more options in terms of the setup of this car, so it’s quite a lot to try and get your head around in a couple of laps,” said Jameel Motorsport’s Molly Taylor. “All the teams are working hard to try and find what the sweet spot is, because there’s a bit more scope in this car, so potential for a bit more performance. It’s just about how we can all find that as fast as possible.”
Johan Kristoffersson, Extreme E’s only two-time champion and its race win record holder, echoed Taylor’s sentiments, and said that much of his and his Team KMS team-mate Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky’s track time was spent working on refining their car’s setup.
“We have tried a few different things, it’s a lot of things to learn on the new car,” he said. “The new car is a little bit more responsive to setup changes compared to the E car, it feels like an evolution or development. There are some things that are a bit more sophisticated on this car, so that makes it respond a little bit better to setup changes.”
Following runs on the Multi-Car Racing course, attention turned to the Head-to-Head contest on Wednesday, with teams making runs on the separate 532-meter long route featuring a dramatic drop – the largest jump of the event – and a chicane to add further challenge for the drivers.
“It’s been a good day with good levels of reliability,” Grain said after Head-to-Head practice. “We’ve obviously got the big jump, all the vertical G loads and everything that that entails, and I’m pleased to say that the car has really responded well with all of the teams.
*AutoInformed on
**About the FIA Extreme H World Cup
The event a multi-discipline format with drivers and teams taking on three contests before an eight-car Final Race to decide the World Cup Winner.
- First is the Time Trial competition tomorrow, Thursday 9 October, where teams will take to the track individually to set the best combined times.
- A new Head-to-Head competition follows on Friday, with teams running parallel down a 532-meter course in one-on-one duels.
- The final day, Saturday, the final day has Multi-Car races, followed by an eight-car World Cup Final which will decide the overall FIA Extreme H World Cup Winner.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
First FIA Extreme H World Cup Starts Tomorrow
Click for more.
The first-ever FIA Extreme H World Cup kicks-off tomorrow, Thursday 9 October, with the Time Trial contest.* Eight teams and 16 drivers have been getting their first runs of the new Pioneer 25 hydrogen-powered race car in Qiddiya City ahead of the real racing.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and it’s been great to hear the teams are talking about how to get the best performance out of the car, rather than talking about reliability issues,” explained Mark Grain, Technical Director, FIA Extreme H World Cup. “The drivers are using all the tools that are available to them, the new tools like the Fox live valve and those damper maps are actively being used. The more toys you can give great racing drivers, the better – they love all this.”**
Among the improvements made to Pioneer 25 over the outgoing Extreme E Odyssey 21, are changes to the suspension, balance, and center of gravity to make the new car an all-round more capable machine than its predecessor. Not only that, but the addition of active dampers from Fox allow drivers to adjust the car on the fly to eke out even more performance.
“Driving the hydrogen car was a great step up from the Extreme E car,” said Team Hansen’s Catie Munnings. “I think the geometry, the suspension, the upgrades they’ve made have made it feel much more like an off-road car that’s capable of hitting bigger ruts and bigger bumps. The suspension’s a big difference, and there’s a lot for us to play with now with the active dampers. It’s really exciting to be a part of that and see how the hydrogen system is also interacting with the motor to charge it while we’re on track. “It’s been an intense couple of days, but I’m really happy with the car and I really enjoy going out on track in it every time.”
Drivers also spoke about how there is more scope for adjustment with the Pioneer 25, meaning drivers and teams can have even more influence on how it performs than ever before.
“There’s so many more options in terms of the setup of this car, so it’s quite a lot to try and get your head around in a couple of laps,” said Jameel Motorsport’s Molly Taylor. “All the teams are working hard to try and find what the sweet spot is, because there’s a bit more scope in this car, so potential for a bit more performance. It’s just about how we can all find that as fast as possible.”
Johan Kristoffersson, Extreme E’s only two-time champion and its race win record holder, echoed Taylor’s sentiments, and said that much of his and his Team KMS team-mate Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky’s track time was spent working on refining their car’s setup.
“We have tried a few different things, it’s a lot of things to learn on the new car,” he said. “The new car is a little bit more responsive to setup changes compared to the E car, it feels like an evolution or development. There are some things that are a bit more sophisticated on this car, so that makes it respond a little bit better to setup changes.”
Following runs on the Multi-Car Racing course, attention turned to the Head-to-Head contest on Wednesday, with teams making runs on the separate 532-meter long route featuring a dramatic drop – the largest jump of the event – and a chicane to add further challenge for the drivers.
“It’s been a good day with good levels of reliability,” Grain said after Head-to-Head practice. “We’ve obviously got the big jump, all the vertical G loads and everything that that entails, and I’m pleased to say that the car has really responded well with all of the teams.
*AutoInformed on
**About the FIA Extreme H World Cup
The event a multi-discipline format with drivers and teams taking on three contests before an eight-car Final Race to decide the World Cup Winner.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.