Stohl Advanced Research and Development, or STARD for short, will join the Extreme E and Extreme H grids for the former’s Final Lap and the latter’s inaugural season. Patrick O’Donovan and Amanda Sorensen will serve as drivers.

Owned by Manfred Stohl, STARD played a major role in developing the early electric rallycross cars. Their Citroën C3 R5 and Ford Fiesta in particular were among the cars used in Projekt E, a test rallycross series before EVs were introduced for World Rallycross. Prior to EVs, STARD competed in World RX in the late 2010s.

While World RX has since shut down with the FIA ditching the electric experiment, STARD has continued EV R&D. They provided the engine and powertrain for the Ford Super Mustang Mach-E that finished second at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June, and currently supplies motors for NASCAR’s electric stock prototypes.

“With STARD being such an innovative company, I think it’s a perfect match for us to be on the grid of Extreme H,” Stohl commented.

O’Donovan is a two-time British Rallycross Champion who won the European RX title in 2024. He has also competed in World RX and Nitrocross, doing the first three races of the former’s 2025 season.

In 2023, O’Donovan was named a Championship Driver for Extreme E. His series debut came a year later at the Hydro X Prix with Gray Leadbetter and Legacy Motor Club, finishing fifth and sixth.

Sorensen raced for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023, scoring a fifth in points alongside fellow American RJ Anderson. After CGR shut down at the end of the 2023 season, she teamed up with Andreas Bakkerud at JBXE for the 2024 Hydro X Prix with a seventh and eighth in the two races. She mainly competes in Formula DRIFT and has also done Nitrocross and the short course.

“We’re delighted to welcome STARD to the Extreme family as we prepare for this landmark moment in motorsport,” said series exec James Taylor. “Their pedigree in pioneering alternative-fuel technologies and delivering competitive success makes them a natural fit for both Extreme E’s Final Lap and the launch of Extreme H.

“With Patrick O’Donovan and Amanda Sorensen behind the wheel, STARD brings youthful energy, proven talent, and the kind of innovation that will help shape the future of sustainable racing. This is exactly the type of team we want leading the charge into hydrogen-powered motorsport.”

Featured image credit: IMG / World RX