Perfect performance for McConnell and Sanz
FRASER MCCONNELL’S Acciona | Sainz XE team clinched its maiden win of the year in Saudi Arabia’s Desert X Prix, where Laia Sanz and McConnell put together a perfect performance that confirmed that the team is a real contender for the rest of the Extreme E calendar.
After coming first and third in the qualifying heats, the grand final commenced with an optimum start by McConnell, who jumped up to first. He remained in the lead from then on. Sanz got behind the wheel for the final laps and defended herself from the attacks of their rivals, ultimately crossing the finish line in the first place to secure the first victory of the year for the team.
After narrowly missing the 2023 title, this triumph is made even more special by the fact that it confirms the team’s potential for the remainder of the 2024 season.
McConnell is happy with the team’s performance, “Happy for the team, happy for Laia and everybody back in Jamaica. This is a big, big win. Stepping into this team was such a huge step for me. So many other people could have had the opportunity, but I was chosen by Carlos Sainz and the team to be here. They saw something in me, they believed in me, and this gave me so much confidence to dig as deep as I could.
“I am living this opportunity as if it is my last, making sure I can make a name for myself and the team. Carlos Sainz has been a hero of mine growing up, so racing for him is such a feeling. It has been a very good first weekend,” McConnell said.
Acciona | Sainz XE t eam is now second in the championship standings with 39 points, trailing the leaders by two points. Beyond the 25 points from the race victory yesterday, the team scored an additional point for winning Qualifying 2.
The Extreme E championship leaves Saudi Arabia and heads to Europe, where the competition will resume on July 13 and 14.