33-year-old Sam Bird is the latest driver to announce his participation in the first season of the worlds-first electric off-road series Extreme E which is set to start in next year.
The Brit who has been racing with success in ABB Formula E, caught the eye of the Extreme E team who asked him to drive in one of the Odyssey 21 E-SUV’s.
Bird is no stranger when it comes to electric motorsport, he is a great addition to the ever-growing line-up of drivers which will be taking part in season 1 of Extreme E. He will be joining together with many other world-famous drivers such as Bruno Senna, Nelson Piquet Jr, Timmy Hansen, Jamie Chadwick, Sébastien Ogier and Andre Lotterer to name a few.
“The ODYSSEY 21 looks like a bit of a monster, I’m expecting top-level performance given the numbers, and having seen footage from Dakar earlier this year, it looks like that’s what we’ll get. I’ve spent a lot of time in Formula E, so I’m not new to EVs in motorsport but this E-SUV will be a different kettle of fish.” Bird said.
“It’s a unique car and a unique series, so naturally there’ll be a period of adaptation and a learning curve, especially as I’ve very much been a circuit racer through my career to-date. It’ll be exciting to get to grips with and I’m a fast learner!”
“There’s nothing quite like Extreme E out there at the moment, the opportunity to be a part of a pioneering new championship is an exciting prospect and is the series’ major attraction for me. Its relevancy in terms of raising awareness of the issues the planet faces and driving solutions to those problems is also incredibly important.”
“Climate change is the largest threat we face and if we don’t act now, the Earth will be a very different place for our kids and grandchildren. As it stands, future generations may not have the chance to see and experience the world as we have, which is a difficult sentiment to come to terms with – and that’s something we can help change with positive action.”
