X44 was run by Prodrive for the first two seasons of the off-road series that began in 2021 and captured the drivers’ title in 2022 with Sebastien Loeb and Cristina Gutierrez after the duo had finished runner-up the year before.
Management of the programme switched to Rodin Carlin in 2023 as Gutierrez was partnered by Fraser McConnell, with the pair slipping to fourth in the standings.
But on the eve of the championship’s fourth season, which begins in Saudi Arabia on 17-18 February, it was revealed that the squad would not return.
Gutierrez had already signed for the McLaren team, partnering Mattias Ekstrom, while McConnell will take the Swede’s place at the Acciona Sainz outfit alongside Laia Sanz.
No reason for X44’s departure was given in a statement outlining its exit.
“We’ve had an incredible three seasons competing as X44, winning multiple races and even a world championship,” it said.
Cristina Gutierrez, Fraser McConnell, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing
Photo by: Colin McMaster / Motorsport Images
“Thank you to our drivers Cristina, Fraser and Seb, and all our talented team-mates who worked hard to help us achieve everything we did.
“Even more than the results on track, we’re proud to have been part of a bigger conversation about how to make motorsport more sustainable, of our success in giving people from all kinds of backgrounds an opportunity to thrive in this team, and of the legacy our team owner Lewis will leave behind with the Racing for All programme.
“Although we won’t be competing ourselves in 2024, we’ll be cheering on the series from the sidelines and keeping an eye on the exciting developments at Extreme H.”
Series boss Alejandro Agag expressed thanks to seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton and X44 “for their valued contribution to Extreme E” both in competition and in “implementing initiatives off-track which focus on gender equality, diversity and inclusion”.
It has also been announced that Chip Ganassi Racing will depart the series.
A statement from the American team said: “We sincerely thank Extreme E for welcoming our GMC HUMMER EV entry as part of their innovative series and look forward to following the series’ growth.
Amanda Sorensen, RJ Anderson, GMC Hummer EV Chip Ganassi Racing
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“We will be watching closely as the series, and its technical partners continue to push motorsports in their move upward and into a modernised off-road hydrogen-powered race car for 2025 and beyond.”
Like X44, Ganassi had been involved since the championship’s inauguration, with the late Kyle LeDuc and Sara Price taking victory in Sardinia in 2022. It proved the team’s high point in the championship before LeDuc was sidelined by cancer.
Amanda Sorensen and RJ Anderson took over driving duties last year, finishing fifth in the standings.
It becomes the third team to depart XE over the off season after Abt Cupra, although the championship has gained an entrant backed by Swiss food producer SUN AG.
Its SUN Minimeal Team will feature two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider on its driving strength alongside his role as team principal, with rallycross racer Klara Andersson joining as its female driver.
Defending title-winners Rosberg X Racing named an unchanged lineup of Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky as the squad backed by 2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg.
