Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell, who represents the Spanish team Acciona-Sainz XE (ASXE), achieved his first victory in the Extreme E season in Round 2 of the Desert X Prix held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With the win, the team moves into second place in the drivers’ rankings. McConnell and Laia Sanz brought home the victory for ASXE by holding off the Andretti Altawkilat team of Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings.
The race
Fraser had an optimal start at the beginning of the Grand Final, after attaining first and third positions in qualifying heats. This put him in first place, and he stayed in the lead throughout his laps. Sanz drove the final laps, defending herself from rivals’ attacks and crossing the finish line in first place for the team’s first victory of 2024. The victory was additionally sweet as the team narrowly missed taking the title in 2023 and has now confirmed its potential for the rest of the 2024 season.
McConnell happy with results
Commenting on the win, McConnell said he was “really happy” for the team, Sanz, and everyone in Jamaica, adding that this was “a big, big win.” He went on to express his gratitude to team leadership for choosing him to join, noting that they had believed in him and gave him the confidence to “dig as deep as I could.” McConnell shared that he was taking the opportunity as if it was his last and is working to ensure that he can “make a name” for himself and the team. Everyone on the team is doing their best to fulfill their goal, and while there is a long break between this race and the next round, they will determine what they did right and build on the positives.
Comments from Sanz
Laia Sanz also expressed her happiness with the weekend’s result. She noted that the victory was special because of what happened in 2023 with the narrow title miss, but that the team “did a great job” on the weekend improving the car in each session so that it was “really quick” in the Grand Final. She acknowledged that the championship will feature strong competition, but the recent performance shows the team has proved its potential for going for the title.
Photo – Fraser McConnell
