‘A new era’ beckons with inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup in Qiddiya City

JBX Powered by Team Monaco Spanish driver Christine Giampaoli competes in a hydrogen-powered car during the inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup in Qiddiya on October 9, 2025. (File/AFP)
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Updated 13 October 2025
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‘A new era’ beckons with inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup in Qiddiya City

  • Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor drive Saudi team Jameel Sport to victory in the first-ever hydrogen motorsport event

QIDDIYA CITY: Jameel Motorsport’s Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor were on Sunday crowned champions of the first-ever FIA Extreme H World Cup.

The first hydrogen-powered motorsport competition sanctioned by the FIA, brought together eight international teams, all male-female driver pairings, for three days of racing featuring a new format which included Time Trials, Head-to-Head duels, and an eight-car final.

Racing against the backdrop of the Tuwaiq Mountains, the cars were powered entirely by hydrogen fuel cells, proving that zero-emission racing can deliver world-class performance.

After topping the standings through the early rounds, Hansen (SWE) and Taylor (AUS) dominated the final from pole position.

Hansen built a commanding lead in the opening laps before Taylor brought the car home for a decisive victory, finishing 7.068 seconds ahead of Carl Cox Motorsport, with Team EVEN completing the podium.

“To win the first-ever FIA Extreme H World Cup is probably the biggest achievement of my career,” said Hansen. “Standing on pole for a Saudi team, knowing winner takes all, it was huge pressure, but it feels incredible to make history.”

Teammate Taylor commented: “It’s been a pretty emotional day. It’s been such an intense week, particularly the last three days. It's pretty hard to describe. You have to be on it every step of the way.

“It feels very sweet to be able to deliver this, for Jameel Motorsport, for all our crew, we all banded together to make this happen.”

The FIA Extreme H World Cup is designed to demonstrate how hydrogen can play a major role in a sustainable, high-performance future, while also promoting gender equality — with every team fielding one male and one female driver competing on equal terms.

Across the three days, Team KMS took the first medal in the Time Trial, STARD triumphed in the Head-to-Heads, and Jameel Motorsport sealed the ultimate prize in the eight-car final.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and Saudi Motorsport Co., said: “From the heart of Qiddiya City, we write today a new chapter in global motorsport.

“The launch of the FIA Extreme H World Cup marks a transformative milestone, showing how competition, innovation, and sustainability can move forward hand in hand.

“Let’s celebrate a new era: powered by hydrogen, driven by ambition, and built for the future.”


Real Madrid handed shock home loss as Celta Vigo spring surprise

Updated 08 December 2025
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Real Madrid handed shock home loss as Celta Vigo spring surprise

  • Celta jumped from 14th to 10th while the defeat ended Real’s 100 percent home league record this season after six successive wins

MADRID: Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-0 loss and finished with nine men against Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Sunday after Williot Swedberg scored an audacious goal with his heel and a second in stoppage time to leave the hosts four points off leaders Barcelona.
Swedish substitute Swedberg cleverly diverted a cross from Bryan Zaragoza past Thibaut Courtois in the 53rd minute to put Celta ahead and had an easy finish three minutes into added time, going around the goalkeeper to wrap up the points.
Real’s cause was not helped by the 64th minute dismissal of Fran Garcia, who picked up two yellow cards in 60 seconds, but they laid siege to the visitors’ goal for the last 20 minutes as Celta went into a defensive shell to hold onto their advantage.
Real defender Alvaro Carreras was also dismissed for two cautions, his second coming in stoppage time at the end of the game as the home side’s frustrations boiled over.
It was a second clean sheet in 15 league games this season for Celta, whose keeper Ionut Radu made a first-half save from Jude Bellingham’s header and stopped a second-half free-kick whipped in by Kylian Mbappe.
Real stay on 36 points from 16 games as Celta celebrated a first win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in 19 years, leaving the Galician club with 19 points.
“With the team they have and their quality, it’s difficult to match them, but we read the game well,” said Celta striker Borja Iglesias. “We had possession, we played in their half, we played a fantastic match.”
Celta jumped from 14th to 10th while the defeat ended Real’s 100 percent home league record this season after six successive wins.
Xabi Alonso’s stuttering Real team have now won only one of their last five league games as they await the midweek arrival of Manchester City in the Champions League.
Earlier on Sunday, Espanyol moved up to fifth as Roberto Fernandez’s first half penalty handed them a 1-0 home win over Rayo Vallecano as both sides finished with 10 men.
Elche’s Rafa Mir scored twice as they ran out 3-0 home winners over struggling Girona, while hosts Valencia and Sevilla remained in the bottom half of the table after a 1-1 draw.