Since the inaugural season in 2021, Extreme E has forbidden fans from attending races due to their remote locations and to reduce any environmental detriment that large crowds might bring to said areas. That appears to be changing for the 2022 finale on 26–27 November as the Energy X Prix in Punta del Este, Uruguay, will reportedly intend to admit spectators.
Over the weekend, meetings took place at the José Ignacio resort by Punta del Este between Extreme E officials and representatives from Uruguay’s FIA member organisation Automovil Club del Uruguay (ACU), Energy X Prix promoter Sportlink, and local authorities of the Maldonado and nearby Montevideo Departments. The Extreme E contingent consisted of various directors and series test driver Timo Scheider; the group had travelled from Chile, where they held the same discussions ahead of the Copper X Prix in Antofagasta on 24–25 September. This was the fourth such meeting for XE in Uruguay since the Energy X Prix was announced.
On the agenda were securing media and construction rights, examining the area to determine how to design the track, and ultimately agreeing to allow attendance; the latter further entailed outlining security with cooperation from the department’s emergency and traffic departments.
Punta del Este is new to the Extreme E calendar, but previously hosted its open-wheel older sibling Formula E from 2014 to 2015 and in 2018. FE raced on a street circuit situated on the city’s harbour, which would be a completely new but uncharacteristic track if XE were to follow in those footsteps due to the series’ commitment to leaving a region as untouched as possible upon departing. Instead, while the track layout has yet to be revealed, one can assume the Energy X Prix would take place outside of town where open grass is abundant or along its beaches.
