Dakar winner Carlos Sainz to compete for his own team in Extreme E electric rally series

Double world rally champion and triple Dakar winner Carlos Sainz will drive for their own team when the new Extreme E electric off-road series starts next year, the Spaniard announced on Monday.

Compatriot Laia Sanz, a 13-time women’s trial motorcycle world champion, is going to be his teammate. Sanz has reached the finish Ten times in the Dakar Rally on two wheels having a best result of ninth.

Every team in the series, which aims to raise awareness about climate change by racing in certain from the world’s most remote and harsh environments, should have men along with a female driver.

Sainz, 58, may be the father of Ferrari-bound McLaren F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr, who will be also a shareholder within the all-Spanish ACCIONA Sainz XE team.

Rivals will include teams of Formula One champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to behave new,” Sainz said at the launch in Madrid.

“The first is to have the opportunity – after driving a lot of cars and before I finish my career – they are driving a 100% electric (car) and know our planet.”

Sainz also cited the opportunity to be part of the team’s ownership while also driving the car competing himself.

“It will probably be the strongest off-road specification car that I’ve driven to date,” Sainz said of utmost E’s Odyssey 21 SUV.

“I’m really curious and extremely thinking about going along this road of electrical power and a new championship, which we are going to attempt to win. It’s a huge challenge.”

Sainz said he would also continue his Dakar project with Mini. The 2021 edition starts in Saudi Arabia in January.

Last week, W Series champion Jamie Chadwick also announced plans to race in Extreme E.