Team Hansen made an instant impact on their first Extreme E outing, claiming a remarkable third-place finish in Race 1 of the championship’s Final Lap in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia.
Competing for the first time in the all-electric off-road series, the Swedish outfit fielded a new pairing in the form of Andreas Bakkerud and Catie Munnings, who both delivered impressive performances as part of a new team.
This weekend’s double-header marks a farewell for Extreme E as the championship brings its pioneering electric racing journey to a close. After four seasons of competition across some of the planet’s most challenging and environmentally significant locations, the series will be transitioning into the first-ever hydrogen powered motorsport – the FIA Extreme H World Cup – next week (9-11 October).
Despite the Swedish squad’s lack of kilometres in the unique electric SUV format, Bakkerud’s trademark aggression and Munnings’ extensive experience from her time with the Andretti Extreme E team proved a potent combination. Together, they navigated the demanding Qiddiya course to secure third place on debut.
Andreas Bakkerud, Team Hansen driver, said: “It is an amazing achievement to kick things off at Team Hansen with a podium. It is not just a first Extreme E podium for the team but also for myself, which makes it feel even more special.
“Catie [Munnings] and I worked well together, and huge credit to the team for giving us a great car from the very first session. So far it has been great learning from each other, and we’re ready to push for an even better result tomorrow.”
Catie Munnings, Team Hansen driver, said: “To bring home a podium for Team Hansen on our first event together is something amazing. This Qiddiya track is tough, but we kept it clean and showed that we can be competitive right from the start.
“A big thank you to the team for all their hard work so far. They are such a motivated group and that played a huge part in our success today. We know we’re capable of even more, and we’ve got tomorrow to prove that we can take the win.”
Kenneth Hansen, Team Hansen Team Principal, said: “This is a fantastic start to our Extreme E journey. I’m very proud of how quickly everyone in the team has come together, and of the way Andreas [Bakkerud] and Catie [Munnings] performed under pressure. To step onto the podium on debut is a testament to our team spirit and commitment to the sport. We came here to learn, but we’ve also shown that Team Hansen is here to fight at the front.”
Andreas Bakkerud entered the team off-the-back of a fierce rivalry with the Hansen outfit in rallycross. In stark contrast, Catie Munnings has been a team-mate of Timmy Hansen’s since Extreme E’s inception.
Both sides of the story feed into a strong respect between the members of the newly formed Hansen Extreme E outfit, who showed no signs of being on the back-foot.
Bakkerud kept a cool head in his first race start for the team. As the other three ODYSEEY 21s tussled for position, the Norwegian took an alternative, wider line. Not only did this give a clear line of sight, it also gave a clear route through the chaos as all his competitors took race ending damage.
With a Heat win under their belts, the Hansen squad was able to play it safe in Qualifying 2 Heat 2. This didn’t stop Munnings’ from challenging for second place before handing over to Bakkerud, who brought it home for third in the Heat and third in overall qualifying.
A spot in the Grand Final secured, Team Hansen was ready to give their all for a shot at a podium on debut. Struggling for traction on the launch, Bakkerud slotted into fourth position in the opening corners. Damage to the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE car denied the Hansen driver a chance to compete for the podium, and it was down to Munnings to deliver a clean run to cross the finish line in third place.
With one more day to go in Extreme E’s Final Lap, Team Hansen now turns its focus to Race 2 in Qiddiya, aiming to build on its strong debut and to end its short foray in the championship on a high.
Competing for the first time in the all-electric off-road series, the Swedish outfit fielded a new pairing in the form of Andreas Bakkerud and Catie Munnings, who both delivered impressive performances as part of a new team.
This weekend’s double-header marks a farewell for Extreme E as the championship brings its pioneering electric racing journey to a close. After four seasons of competition across some of the planet’s most challenging and environmentally significant locations, the series will be transitioning into the first-ever hydrogen powered motorsport – the FIA Extreme H World Cup – next week (9-11 October).
Despite the Swedish squad’s lack of kilometres in the unique electric SUV format, Bakkerud’s trademark aggression and Munnings’ extensive experience from her time with the Andretti Extreme E team proved a potent combination. Together, they navigated the demanding Qiddiya course to secure third place on debut.
Andreas Bakkerud, Team Hansen driver, said: “It is an amazing achievement to kick things off at Team Hansen with a podium. It is not just a first Extreme E podium for the team but also for myself, which makes it feel even more special.
“Catie [Munnings] and I worked well together, and huge credit to the team for giving us a great car from the very first session. So far it has been great learning from each other, and we’re ready to push for an even better result tomorrow.”
Catie Munnings, Team Hansen driver, said: “To bring home a podium for Team Hansen on our first event together is something amazing. This Qiddiya track is tough, but we kept it clean and showed that we can be competitive right from the start.
“A big thank you to the team for all their hard work so far. They are such a motivated group and that played a huge part in our success today. We know we’re capable of even more, and we’ve got tomorrow to prove that we can take the win.”
Kenneth Hansen, Team Hansen Team Principal, said: “This is a fantastic start to our Extreme E journey. I’m very proud of how quickly everyone in the team has come together, and of the way Andreas [Bakkerud] and Catie [Munnings] performed under pressure. To step onto the podium on debut is a testament to our team spirit and commitment to the sport. We came here to learn, but we’ve also shown that Team Hansen is here to fight at the front.”
Andreas Bakkerud entered the team off-the-back of a fierce rivalry with the Hansen outfit in rallycross. In stark contrast, Catie Munnings has been a team-mate of Timmy Hansen’s since Extreme E’s inception.
Both sides of the story feed into a strong respect between the members of the newly formed Hansen Extreme E outfit, who showed no signs of being on the back-foot.
Bakkerud kept a cool head in his first race start for the team. As the other three ODYSEEY 21s tussled for position, the Norwegian took an alternative, wider line. Not only did this give a clear line of sight, it also gave a clear route through the chaos as all his competitors took race ending damage.
With a Heat win under their belts, the Hansen squad was able to play it safe in Qualifying 2 Heat 2. This didn’t stop Munnings’ from challenging for second place before handing over to Bakkerud, who brought it home for third in the Heat and third in overall qualifying.
A spot in the Grand Final secured, Team Hansen was ready to give their all for a shot at a podium on debut. Struggling for traction on the launch, Bakkerud slotted into fourth position in the opening corners. Damage to the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE car denied the Hansen driver a chance to compete for the podium, and it was down to Munnings to deliver a clean run to cross the finish line in third place.
With one more day to go in Extreme E’s Final Lap, Team Hansen now turns its focus to Race 2 in Qiddiya, aiming to build on its strong debut and to end its short foray in the championship on a high.
