Extreme E to race in old Scottish coalmine

LONDON : A former opencast coalmine in southern Scotland will be used as a racetrack for the all-electric Extreme E series in May to highlight the change from fossil fuels to clean energy, organisers said on Thursday.

The Glenmuckloch mine in Dumfries and Galloway is due to be transformed into a pumped storage hydropower (PSH) plant and wind farm.

"We could not have found a more perfect racing site," said Extreme E founder Alejandro Agag in a statement announcing the May 13-14 Hydro X Prix.

"Not only will this site provide one of the most dramatic and extreme race courses we have seen in our global journey, it will tell a poignant story about transition and the changing of courses that the energy industry and communities must all take if we are to succeed in the fight against climate change."

Extreme E, with identical SUVs and male and female drivers in every lineup, launched in 2021 as an off-road zero-emission rally series.

It aims to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainability by racing in remote and damaged environments around the world.

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has a team in the series, as do retired F1 champions Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.