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McLaren withdraws from Island X Prix II after second roll
NEOM McLaren has confirmed that it is withdrawing from the remainder of the Island X Prix II weekend in Sardinia after a second major incident in as many days.
On Friday, Emma Gilmour rolled out of the first free practice session, an incident that destroyed the team's car and necessitated an overnight stay in hospital for the New Zealander.
On Saturday the team utilized the championship's spare car, with championship reserve driver Tamara Molinaro stepping in to Gilmour's spot alongside Tanner Foust – a move that made her the second-ever female to race for McLaren, and the first Italian to do so since Andrea de Cesaris at the 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
However, during the Redemption Race on Saturday afternoon, Molinaro flipped after contact with JBXE's Hedda Hosas at the start of the race.
Molinaro emerged from the incident without any significant injury, but the car was heavily damaged. Just before 9 p.m. local time, the team issued a statement confirming their immediate withdrawal from the weekend.
"The NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team regrets to confirm that we will not be competing in round eight of the 2023 Extreme E season," it said.
"Due to damage sustained to the chassis during the Redemption Race earlier [Saturday], it will not be possible to repair the car in time for [Sunday's] running and we have therefore taken the difficult decision to not participate in round eight.
"As racers, this is not a call we take lightly, especially given the efforts of the team to prepare for and during the event. However, the number one priority is that both Emma and Tamara are alright and in good spirits following their incidents.
"Our full focus will now be on the final two rounds in Chile and ending the season on a high."
With McLaren sidelined, just nine teams will take part in the second half of the Island X Prix II, round eight of the 10-round season. It will be the first time since the championship's inaugural campaign in 2021 that fewer than 10 teams have contested a championship round.
Dominik Wilde
Dominik often jokes that he was born in the wrong country – a lover of NASCAR and IndyCar, he covered both in a past life as a junior at Autosport in the UK, but he’s spent most of his career to date covering the sliding and flying antics of the U.S.’ interpretation of rallycross. Rather fitting for a man that says he likes “seeing cars do what they’re not supposed to do”, previously worked for a car stunt show, and once even rolled a rally car with Travis Pastrana. He was also comprehensively beaten in a kart race by Sebastien Loeb once, but who hasn’t been?
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