The ABT CUPRA XE team for the Extreme E adventure has been formed: Claudia H\u00fcrtgen will be racing in the new series alongside Mattias Ekstr\u00f6m. The German has already completed the first days of testing together with her Swedish teammate and familiarised herself with the 400-kW all-electric SUV. Next week (17th to 19th December) the squad will participate in joint pre-season tests together with all other teams in Aragon (Spain) before the material and car will be loaded for shipping at the beginning of January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven after 25 years in motorsport Extreme E is an all-new and exciting challenge for me that I\u2019m very much looking forward to,\u201d says Claudia H\u00fcrtgen. With successes in various touring car and sports car championships, several endurance races and other events under her belt, she numbers among Europe\u2019s most successful female racing drivers. \u201cWhat makes this competition special among other things is the fact that this is an all-new adventure for all entrants that we\u2019re jointly embarking on.\u201d The 49-year-old German gathered initial experiences in the electric cockpit during several test days. \u201cI learn something new on every kilometre and try to handle each corner with greater perfection. Needless to say, it\u2019s great to have such an experienced and open-minded teammate in Mattias who superbly supports me in this effort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For ABT CUPRA XE, as the team of the two partners is named for the racing series, Claudia H\u00fcrtgen is the perfect contender. \u201cWe met Claudia for the first time at a small shoot-out with several female candidates this summer and were soon convinced that she\u2019d be the right choice \u2013 not only because of her strong performance in the cockpit, but also due to her professional cooperation, her precise feedback to our engineers and her overall demeanour. Claudia is simply a good fit for us,\u201d says ABT CEO Thomas Biermaier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mattias Ekstr\u00f6m is delighted about his partner with whom he\u2019ll be taking turns with in the \u2028e-CUPRA ABT XE1 cockpit in the inaugural season of Extreme E. The spectacular racing car bears this name in its first season. \u201cClaudia and I\u2019ve occasionally crossed paths with each other in recent years, we know each other and get along well,\u201d says the two-time DTM Champion, World Rallycross Champion and CUPRA ambassador. \u201cIt didn\u2019t take long for her to impress the entire team and me as well. Claudia is an extremely quick learner and immediately adjusts to all requirements. Given that she\u2019s joining us with just little experience in off-road racing, that\u2019s even more impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the joint pre-season tests in Spain, at which ABT CUPRA XE will be meeting with its international competitors for the first time \u2013 including Lewis Hamilton\u2019s and Nico Rosberg\u2019s teams \u2013 the car and material will be prepared in Kempten. On 11th January the cargo will be loaded onto the floating paddock \u201cSt. Helena\u201d heading for the Arabian Peninsula: on 20th and 21st March the first in five of the season\u2019s races will be held in Al-Ula (Saudi Arabia).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ABT CUPRA XE team for the Extreme E adventure has been formed: Claudia H\u00fcrtgen will be racing in the new series alongside Mattias Ekstr\u00f6m. The German has already completed the first days of testing together with her Swedish teammate and familiarised herself with the 400-kW all-electric SUV. Next week (17th to 19th December) the … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.eurotuningnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/EXTREME-ABT202029-1024x683.jpg\")
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