McLaren entrusts new Extreme E charger to Emma Gilmour

©McLaren

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McLaren Racing unveiled at the COP 26 conference in Glasgow its 2022 Extreme E contender that will be entrusted to Kiwi Emma Gilmour, the team's first-ever female works driver.

McLaren is the latest team to enter Extreme E, the all-electric adventurous off-road series created to blend competition with an awareness on climate change.

It's only fitting for Gilmour, a native of New Zealand like McLaren founder Bruce McLaren, to have been chosen to represent the Woking-based outfit's interests in Extreme E alongside her teammate, US driver Tanner Foust.

The 41-year-old, who is competing in Extreme E this season with Veloce, is recognized as one of the fastest and most experienced female rally drivers in the world.

In 2016, Gilmour became the first and only female to date to win a New Zealand Rally Championship event.

©McLaren

"Emma completes our exciting and competitive driver line-up alongside Tanner Foust for our first season of Extreme E," said McLaren racing boss Zak Brown.

"She’s a race winner and has proven herself this year in Extreme E alongside a vast background in competitive off-roading in multiple racing series across the globe."

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Gilmour is naturally delighted to join McLaren and can't wait to start kicking up the gravel and dirt with her new team.

"I’m incredibly honoured to be McLaren Racing’s first female driver," she said. "Growing up in New Zealand, Bruce McLaren and McLaren Racing are seen as the pinnacles of motorsport.

"To be competing in Extreme E next year with McLaren is a special opportunity. The series is a fantastic platform that represents equality and addresses the key issues affecting our planet and society.

"I’m looking to draw on my previous experience in Extreme E alongside all my skills across rally, rallycross and cross-country rallying, that make me well-suited to the sport, to make a positive impact and inspire the next generation of female drivers and engineers.

"I can’t wait to get started with the team."

McLaren revealed in Glasgow in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales the striking papaya-based livery of its Extreme E machine which was hand-drawn by artist and illustrator Vic Lee and which represents the entire race calendar through the four biomes of the Arctic, Amazon, Desert and Ocean.

"Being able to announce Emma and reveal our launch livery with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales during COP26, given his track record in sustainability and promotion of STEM education and engineering, resonates with McLaren Racing’s commitment to sustainability, diversity and gender equality which are deeply-rooted in the team’s ethos," added Zak Brown.

"We’re looking forward to competing in Extreme E’s second season to continue to educate ourselves on this journey of discovery and use our voice to shine a light on key issues impacting the world."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.