Zenith Keeps Extreme E Race On Time In Dakar At Ocean X Prix

After a blazing start in April on the dunes of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, the second race in the first season of Extreme E went on full-throttle in Dakar, Senegal.

Zenith is on board as Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner of Extreme E, the new off-road electric racing championship that highlights remote environments under threat of climate change and pollution. The pioneering electric SUV off-road racing series took to the beaches of Dakar for the second race of the new championship’s debut series, dubbed the Ocean X Prix.

After a promising qualifying run on Saturday, the teams gave it their all for a dramatic and exciting race on Sunday. Riding high from their pole position at Desert X Prix in AlUla, Rosberg X Racing’s Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson ended the race with their team in the top spot. Zenith CEO Julien Tornare had the pleasure of presenting Veloce team drivers Jamie Chadwick and Stéphane Sarrazin with the trophy for second place after a formidable comeback performance. Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle LeDuc took home the Super Sector title for the fastest lap earning an extra five points for his team.

Zenith Moment in Time Prize – Recognizing Exceptional Performance

Alongside the main podium prizes, Zenith gave out the first Zenith Moment in Time award for spectacular performance on the previous race in AlUla, with Extreme E fans also able to vote for the winner on social media. Catie Munnings received a DEFY Midnight for her spectacular performance, courage and ingenuity during the Desert X Prix; a watch that symbolizes the modern, confident and inspiring woman that blazes her own path against all adversity.

“We are so happy to award the first Zenith Moment in Time prize to Catie Munnings. She has demonstrated raw talent and honed skills during the last Extreme E race in Saudi Arabia, leading her team to great results despite having taken over a car with only three operating wheels. We could not be more thrilled to give this award to Catie.” Exclaimed Zenith CEO Julien Tornare.

Catie Munnings, Andretti United Extreme E driver and Zenith Moment in Time winner said:” It’s such an honour to have won the first ever award on the first race Extreme E, and although we definitely didn’t want to puncture, I think this is the best outcome I’ve ever had from one! We were very happy to finish on the podium following that qualifying run and being awarded the Zenith Moment in Time is the cherry on the cake. The Zenith Defy Midnight is stunning, and I was really surprised to see that the design on the watch face of the stars is actually the same design I chose for my helmet for this season – it was meant to be! An award like this is so special to remember different moments of the championship aside from the race result, not just on track but also through the legacy projects and environmental work. I look forward to see which moment is next!”

Racing for Lasting Change – The Extreme E Legacy Program

In line with the Manufacture’s “Zenith is Green” program of environmental consciousness and creating a cleaner, sustainable future wherever possible, Extreme E’s own Legacy Program aims to bring awareness and new initiatives to the areas where races are held. As each race takes place in a different environment, the Legacy Program adapts its actions to each.

Mangroves are one of the richest ecosystems in the world, providing essential goods and services and playing an important role in the life of coastal communities in countries like Senegal. They reduce flooding and erosion from storms, act as nurseries for fish and filter salt and pollutants from water. Extreme E has partnered with NGO, Oceanium, to plant one million mangrove trees in Senegal. In addition, Extreme E will support the EcoZone Project, a living lab that addresses the Lac Rose community’s primary needs while preserving the environment through experiential learning, regenerative agriculture and a circular economy. Another initiative Extreme E supports is the EcoBrique project – an innovative scheme that that transforms plastic waste into multi-purpose bricks. The programme brings the community together to create buildings that it can all benefit from whilst addressing the issue of plastic waste.

DEFY Extreme – Built for the Elements

When racing on untouched terrains through extreme conditions in innovative all-electric vehicles, a suitably ingenious and robust watch can make all the difference. The DEFY Extreme 1/100th of a second chronograph is Zenith’s most rugged and high-performance chronograph to date, giving its groundbreaking high-frequency movement a vessel capable of taking on whatever comes its way. With adaptability in mind, the DEFY Extreme comes with a metal bracelet as well as rubber and Velcro straps that can be instantly swapped using the quick-change mechanism on the back of the watch’s case.

About Zenith: Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner

ZENITH: TIME TO REACH YOUR STAR.

Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women – past and present – by celebrating their accomplishments and creating in 2020 its first-ever collection dedicated entirely to them, Defy Midnight.

With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, Zenith has gone on to master fractions of the second with the Chronomaster Sport and its 1/10th of a second precision and the DEFY 21 with a precision of 1/100th of a second. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.

About Extreme E

Extreme E is a radical new racing series, which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet. 

To minimise local impact, Extreme E races will not be open to spectators, with fans instead invited to follow the action through live TV broadcast, and on social media.

The St. Helena, a former passenger cargo ship, has undergone a multi-million Euro refit to minimise emissions and transform her into Extreme E’s operations hub. The ship will be used to transport the championship’s freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port, minimising Extreme E’s footprint, as well as being used to facilitate scientific research through its on-board laboratory.

Extreme E is also pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy. This innovative solution from AFC Energy uses water and sun to generate hydrogen power. Not only will this process emit no greenhouse emissions, its only by-product will be water, which will be utilised elsewhere on-site.