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

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

Each driver will complete one of the two laps around the 20km courses. Five events are ꧟planned for the inaugural Extreme E season, wi🌜th the series set to begin in January next year.

Extreme E founder and CEO Alejandro Agag♒ said: “This is a first in motor r🧸acing.

“We are ensuring with our sporting format that drivers of all backgrounds will be able to compete with the same tools at their disposal at every 🍌event on the calendar.

“We are striving for🌠 equality, and this sporting format is the truest reflection of that goal.

“Everybody will race together and the mo🧸st effective combination of drivers, team, engineer and car will r𝐆ise to the top.”

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

IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar driver Katherine Legge, who was the first woman to coওmpete in Formula E, and Swedish touring 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, comp♛ete together and against each other with the same material”.

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

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