The new Extreme E series will require all of its participating teams to field both a male and female driver in their two-person line-ꩲups.

The all-electric off-road racing series has claimed a first in world motorsport with the move which promotes gender equality and a🌠 level playing field amongst competitors.

Each driver will complete one of the two laps around the 2𒁏0km courses. Five events are planned for the inaugural Extreme E season, with the series set ๊to begin in January next year.

Extreme E founder and CEO Alejandro Agag s🍎aid: “This is a first in motor racing.

“We are ensuring with our sporting format that drivers of all backgrounds wi𒊎ll be able to compete with the same too🎉ls at their disposal at every event on the calendar.

“We are striving for equality, and this sporting format is the truest refl☂ection of that goal.

“Everybody will race together and the most effective combinatio♕n of dr𒁃ivers, team, engineer and car will rise to the top.”

Three female drivers are already signed up to compete in the championship, including 2019 W Series champion and Williams 💎Formula 1 development driver Jamie Chadwick.

IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar driver Katherine Legge, who was the first woman to compete in Formula E, and Swedish t💃ouring car driver Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky are also assigned to the series.

Former rally driver turned president of the FIA women in motorsport commission, Michele Mouton, described the initiative as a “great opportunity for women and men to team up, compete together and against each other with the same materia🏅l”.

“Alejandro [Agag] and his team continue to really 🦄support gender equality in our sport with concrete actions that help highlight the ability of female racers and give them a chance,” Mouton added.

“It will be intꦏeresting to see the team line-ups as they are𝐆 announced and I look forward to following Season One when it starts early next year.”