Extreme E interview: Emma Gilmour & Tanner Foust preview Copper X-Prix and discuss season so far

The 2022 Extreme E championship continues this weekend in Chile at the Copper X-Prix, and we spoke to NEOM McLaren XE drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust to look ahead to round four, as well as to reflect on the season so far.

McLaren have embarked on their first year in Extreme-E and it’s been a season, both drivers admit, that has had its ups and downs with them currently sitting 8th in the championship.

Whilst they’ve been pleased with their overall pace, the series can be unforgiving at times and you sometimes need a slice of luck to get the result you deserve. Both Emma and Tanner are excited for this penultimate round of the year, though, with qualifying in Chile getting underway later this afternoon:

“It’s been frustrating,” begins Emma when asked by Give Me Sport about this season to date.

“Because as a team we’ve shown we’ve had good speed. But we’ve had a few things that have been sort of outside of our control that has prevented us from sometimes having an easier run through to the finals, and all those kind of things.

“But it’s probably also highlighted how challenging Extreme E is and you’re competing against the world’s best from lots of different disciplines. You need to bring your A-game to every event plus you also have to have a bit of luck and we haven’t had that bit of luck really, this season so far.

“But it’s exciting being now at round four, where it’s a brand new event for everyone – no one’s done the track before. And I think that’s great because we’ve been working really together as a team getting stronger. And then we can really put that into practice now, on this brand new track.”

“I think we started out of the gates pretty strong, both on pace, making the final set the expectations