Drivers are closing in on the finish line for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge after a marathon 3000km race testing feats of engineering through the Australian outback.
The winning team in the Projecta Challenger Class in the endurance challenge was expected to cross the Adelaide finish line by about 10.30am ACST on Thursday, with "Infinite" from Belgian defending champions Innoptus leading the pack as of Wednesday.
The Belgian team was pushing speeds of up to 105 km/h on Wednesday after conserving energy, and finished up near Port Pirie in South Australia's mid-north at 5pm.
None of the competitive teams in the CSIRO Cruiser Class made the critical 5pm time point into a control stop at Coober Pedy in South Australia's north on Wednesday after unseasonal headwinds.
"Though half the field had made the first critical time point, driving nearly 1000 (kilometres) before charging, they were unable to complete the second stage," a spokeswoman for the event said on Wednesday.
"As this is unprecedented, event officials are now considering how tomorrow's final cruiser stage will play out."
"Red X", from the Netherlands-based Solar Team Twente, was expected to start day five of the race close behind Infinite in the Projecta Challenger Class, while "Nuna 12" from former Dutch champions Brunel Solar Team was in third place as of Wednesday.
Australia's leading Projecta Challenger Class team the Western Sydney University - in "Unlimited 5.0" - was eyeing a spot in the top 10 as of Wednesday afternoon.
The race was slated to kick off again at 8am Darwin time on Thursday before the winning team crossed the finish line in Adelaide.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge returned this year after a COVID-enforced hiatus.
Pandemic travel restrictions prevented the biennial event from happening in 2021.
For the first time, teams from Estonia and Romania are taking part in the event along with a strong contingent of other European entries as well as cars from North America, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
The challenge is due to finish on Sunday.
