Several superstar racing drivers, including Formula 1 world champions Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button, own teams in the all-electric Extreme E championship. And this year they’ll face competition from an unlikely new team boss… a superstar DJ.
That would be Carl Cox, the hugely successful DJ and electronic dance music artist. His Carl Cox Motorsport Extreme E squad will field one of the off-road electric SUV buggies in the category, taking on squads including Hamilton’s title-winning X44 Vida Carbon Racing, Rosberg X Racing and F1 squad McLaren’s outfit.
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While Cox might seem an unlikely choice as an Extreme E team boss, he actually has plenty of form: he has run his own Carl Cox Motorsport outfit for more than a decade, fielding teams in bike racing – including at the fearsome Isle of Man TT – and motorbike sidecar racing in both the UK and New Zealand. He also competes in drag racing events.
Cox had his first taste of Extreme E when he attended last season’s event in Sardinia, and he said: “Racing, like music, is in my blood and I’m going to bring my passion and energy into this series and build something special.
“Participating in electric racing is new to me but I’m a fast learner and will bring my hard earned know how and experience into the mix at Extreme E.”
The Extreme E championship features pairs of drivers competing on off-road courses in remote locations affected by climate change. Cox has yet to name the driver line-up for his squad.
The 2023 Extreme E season kicks off in Saudi Arabia on March 11/12. The seance of five events scheduled for this year will take place on May 13/14 at an as-yet-undisclosed location in Scotland.
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