Just a few days after surprising the world with his move to Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton has made another surprising announcement.
After spending three seasons in Extreme E and winning the championship in 2022, Lewis Hamilton has decided to withdraw his X44 team from the championship for the upcoming 2024 season.
Established in 2020 in preparation for the first season in 2021, the series aimed to raise awareness about climate change by organizing off-road races that featured electric SUVs.
Hamilton competed against his former Formula 1 rival Nico Rosberg, who managed his own team called Rosberg Racing. Esteemed IndyCar team owners Andretti and Chip Ganassi also fielded teams in the inaugural season.
X44 had a promising start, finishing as runners-up in their debut year and ultimately claiming the championship in the following season.
However, a series of disappointing performances led to a fourth-place finish in the 2023 standings. As a result, the team has decided not to participate in the upcoming fourth season.
“After being a part of the Extreme E family for three years, we are announcing today that X44 will be leaving the series.
We have had an incredible three seasons as X44, winning multiple races and even a world championship,” stated X44 in a press release.
“We want to express our gratitude to our drivers Cristina, Fraser, and Seb, as well as all our talented teammates, whose dedication contributed to our successes.
“Beyond our on-track achievements, we are proud to have been part of important discussions about sustainable motorsport, promoting diversity within our team, and Lewis’s lasting legacy through the Racing for All program.
“Although we will not be competing ourselves in 2024, we will be supporting the series from the sidelines and closely following the exciting developments at Extreme E.”
According to the Source formula1news.co.uk