Lewis Hamilton: Formula 1 world champion to launch Extreme E team

Extreme E was launched in January 2019, with its first race due to take place in Dakar on 23 January.

There will be five races, each across two days, in Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Greenland and Brazil.

Each circuit will be designed in these remote areas, and races will take place over two laps of approximately 16km.

Teams – comprising one male and one female driver – race head to head.

Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “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 climate change and equality.

“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.”

Scientists specialising in certain forms of environmental impact will travel alongside the Extreme E teams, documenting what is found in each location and implementing legacy plans.

“I am looking forward to building my team around important values such as sustainability and equality,” said Hamilton.

“None of us are perfect and we all have improvements to make, but I am excited to use our platform to highlight the most serious issues facing our planet and the solutions we can all be part of.”

Agag also introduced the all-electric Formula E racing series in 2014.