Jamaican rallycross sensation Fraser McConnell and his X44 Vida Carbon Racing Staff topped the rostrum in spherical 8 of the Excessive E Championships in Sardinia, Italy, on Sunday.
Beginning for the crew, Fraser McConnell took a large line into the primary flip to brush previous Johan Kristoffersson and Sebastien Loeb as that pair squabbled for actual property within the heart of the observe.
McConnell’s clear begin proved to be decisive as Staff X44 remained unchallenged all through the spherical, with teammate Cristina Gutierrez bringing the automotive residence 5.813s away from Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky after taking the wheel on the mid-race driver change.
This marks the crew’s second victory of Season 3 and first victory at an Island X Prix.
The 25-year-old McConnell was glad with the crew’s efficiency, “It’s wonderful to get a end result like this. Cristina and I had our heads down and drove 4 robust, clear laps within the remaining. We did all the pieces attainable to extract some benefit and discover some little tips to assist us go sooner than the remainder. As all the time, the crew labored tirelessly to make sure the automotive was in tip-top form.”
Shaped by seven-time System 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, X44 Vida Carbon Racing is presently fifth within the standings with 87 factors. Excessive E concludes with the ultimate leg in Antofagasta, Chile, on December 2 & 3.
“The Championship is so aggressive with so many world-class drivers, so to place Lewis Hamilton’s crew on the highest step for spherical 8 is a tremendous feeling. We’re going into Chile with our heads excessive and hoping for extra”, McConnell concluded.
Fraser McConnell: Flying the Jamaican flag excessive
At simply 25 years previous, McConnell is already essentially the most competitively successful Jamaican driver within the historical past of worldwide rallycross racing. He had his profession debut in 2018, competing in North America’s ARX2 collection. In his first race, McConnell recorded the fastest-out-of-the-box time, and in the end reached the ultimate 4 occasions out of 5.
His championship victory within the 2019 Americas RallyCross Championship marked the primary and solely championship win by a Jamaican driver within the collection’ historical past. In 2021, McConnell grew to become the primary and solely Jamaican to assert a supercar victory within the Rally X Nordic league.
Earlier this yr, in February 2023, McConnell gained his second qualifying occasion in Calgary, Canada, at Stampede Park. A month later, he introduced he was becoming a member of X44 Vida Carbon Racing, the Excessive E Staff based by mega-famous, seven-time System One World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton.
McConnell’s history-making efforts have been acknowledged by Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and Usain Bolt, amongst others.
On the finish of his 2021 season, he was nominated for the being nominated for the RJR/Gleaner Sports activities Basis Male Motor Sport Athlete of the Yr, Sportsman of the Yr and Individuals’s Selection Awards.
