Some of the world’s best off-road drivers will remain too as part of gender-equal line-ups too, with Johann Kristofferson joined by his WRX rivals the Hansen brothers as well as Catie Munnings, who tells Motor Sport “I’m really excited for the new car – but none of us drivers know what it’s going to be like.”
Motor Sport royalty – and Extreme E/H team owners – Carlos Sainz Sr and Jimmie Johnson are present to give their stamp of approval, but a change can be detected in the air.
Once the climate crisis and the ‘race’ to save the planet were at the heart of Agag’s mission and messaging, now it appears to be about facilitating industry and business. In the opening words of his welcome speech, he admits as much.
The former European Member of Parliament, now-green tech entrepreneur, addresses a small sea of dark suits, even darker sunglasses and sharp haircuts at an event that feels like an investor conference as much as a motor sport gathering.
“The question that deserves an answer is why did we transition from Extreme E to Extreme H?” he says.
“The are many reasons but, when you look at the world around us, it’s different from five years ago.
“When we launched Extreme E, climate change was at the top of the worries for everyone.
“We feel now that the climate alert is going to a second or third place [in the general public’s mind]. People are worried but there are other very important problems too: there are wars, different problems in the economy, etc.”
Agag then warms to his main theme – supplying new industries.