Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton Creates New Team in Extreme E Which is Converting Former 'RMS' Ship

8th September 2020

A CGI image of how the former RMS St. Helena, the final 'passenger' and freight ship to serve St. Helena in the remote South Atlantic Ocean and the rest of the world until an airport was completed in recent years for commercial flights. In addition a cargo-only (container) service took over by still connecting South Africa. Currently AFLOAT adds the renamed St. Helena is berthed on Merseyside undergoing conversion for a new career with Extreme E which is a radical new racing series which will see Electric-SUVs (transported onboard) compete in the most remote corners of the planet that have been impacted by climate change. Credit: Extreme E-twitter

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, reports BBC Top Gear, has announced the creation of a new team to compete in the inaugural season of Extreme E with a team called ‘X44’.

Now, Hamilton you might be familiar with (six F1 world championships, really quite handy behind the wheel of an F1 car), and Extreme E you’ve probably heard of too. It’s the off-road series founded by Formula E boss Alejandro Agag, racing identikit electric SUVs in locations across the planet that have been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues.

Hamilton’s ‘X44’ outfit – a nod to his racing number in F1 – will join a growing list of teams and drivers that currently includes Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti United, Abt, HWA, Techeetah, and Veloce Racing.

The Extreme E races – in five remote locations – won’t be open to spectators, but there’ll be a live TV broadcast, and the ‘command centre’ will be St. Helena (formerly the Royal Mail Ship RMS St. Helena: which visited Irish waters once) served both as a passenger /cargo ship (to its namesake South Atlantic island) currently undergoing a multi-million Euro transformation.

Afloat.ie adds the conversion work of the former 'Saint' ship is taking place on the other side of the Irish Sea at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead on Merseyside. Also in the UK but earlier in 2016 Afloat secured an invite on board RMS St. Helena during a 'farewell' once off cruise to the Pool of London.

As Top Gear added, it is estimated that using the ship to transport the series around the globe lowers the carbon output by two thirds in comparison to air freight.

For further reading on this new team click here

Also recently announced by Extreme-E is their confirmation of a partnership with the AllCotGroup which is to offset Extreme E’s carbon footprint in support of a goal to have a net-zero carbon footprint by the end of Season 1.

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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