Piquet Jr skipping X Games for Formula E race in Moscow

Nelson Piquet Jr. will skip the X Games to compete in Formula E, where he's a championship contender in the new fully electric racing series. Andreas Bakkerud will replace Piquet in the SH Racing Ford Fiesta at next weekend's X Games in Austin, Texas. Piquet is leading the Formula E standings but is in a four-way battle with three races left. He'll compete June 6 in Moscow instead of participating in the X Games, where he won a bronze medal last year.

SH Rallycross team owner James Sullivan says Piquet was given his release for X Games because the team wants to support him in his quest to win the inaugural Formula E championship. Bakkerud is an experienced RallyCross driver who is third in the FIA World RallyCross Championship Super Car category.

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The AP contributed to this report.