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• McConnell’s Racing Team wins Round 3 in Extreme E

  Jamaican rally cross sensation, Fraser McConnell, maintained his top qualifying form to help X44 Vida Carbon Racing take the win in Round 3 at the Hydro X Prix, in Scotland on Saturday.

  The victory marks McConnell's first win in Extreme E and the Season 2 champions' first win of the 2023 campaign. 

  McConnell and Cristina Gutiérrez crossed the line in second place, but a penalty for on-course winners Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E dropped British-star Catie Munnings and team-mate Timmy Hansen down to second place. 

  “It's amazing to get my first win for X44. It’s been something that I’ve been working towards not just for me but for the whole team,” McConnell said.

  "It just goes to show that prioritising opportunity and inclusivity doesn’t have to come at the cost of performance, and we're proud to be showing what's possible here in Extreme E. We didn't have the best starting position - second from the outside - so I knew I was going to have to do something a little risky to get in front which I managed. Then I went a little wide and they got the better run, but that’s racing. We were able to stay close enough to capitalise on their [Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E] penalty. A win is always a win and very happy to do this one for X44," he added. 

  Instead, McConnell hung back from the pack, turning early to undercut the ODYSSEY 21s in front and using his Hyperdrive late to storm from fifth to first. 

  The Jamaican carried this pace into the first steep ascent of the course, but his speed caused him to run wide, opening the door for Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Hansen to pull up alongside and exit the climb in the lead. 

  Coming in third were Carl Cox Motorsport, scoring their maiden podium in the championship after just three rounds and at International DJ Carl Cox's home X Prix. 

  McConnell is in 4th of 10 teams in the overall standings, on 51 points with the third event set for July 8-9 at the Island X Prix in Sardinia, Italy. 

  Indeed, MConnell’s X44 team are the reigning champions having taken the 2022 title with Gutierrez and Sebastien Loeb behind the wheel. They will be looking to defend their crown with seven more rounds to come in the season.

   

   

• FIA followed ‘due process’ as president Mohammed Ben Sulayem accused of sexism

  Formula One’s ruling body the FIA has said “allegations of abuse are taken very seriously” after its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was accused of sexism.

  The Daily Telegraph has reported that former FIA employee Shaila-Ann Rao wrote a letter accusing Ben Sulayem of sexist behaviour following her departure from the federation last year.

  Rao, who was the FIA’s interim secretary general for motor sport, left the organisation in December after just six months.

  However, the FIA said it followed “due process” following the “specific allegations” surrounding Rao and said an “amicable negotiation” followed.

  Responding to the Daily Telegraph’s report, a spokesperson for the FIA said: “The FIA takes allegations of abuse very seriously and addresses all complaints using robust and clear procedures.

  “As part of this, the FIA has an anti-harassment policy, an anonymous whistleblowing facility and an investigation procedure and all staff are made aware of these through an induction and regular training.

  “With regards to the specific allegations surrounding Shaila-Ann Rao, due process was followed, with an amicable negotiation conducted by the President of the Senate and as such, no referrals were made to the Ethics Committee.

  “As previously stated, both parties agreed she would leave her position in November 2022 and mutual privacy terms were agreed as is common business practice.”

  Rao’s claim in her letter – which the PA news agency has been told by a high-level source in the sport was sent – is the latest in a string of setbacks which has marred Ben Sulayem’s presidency.

  Earlier this year, Ben Sulayem, who took on the role as FIA president from Jean Todt in December 2021, was quoted on an archived version of his old website as saying that he did “not like women who think they are smarter than men”.

  The FIA said the sexist remarks do not reflect his beliefs.

  He was also accused of “unacceptable” interference by F1 in response to a series of tweets in which he said a £16.2billion valuation of the sport was “inflated”.

  New Sprint format gets seal of approval from @F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council – here's how the upcoming #AzerbaijanGP weekend will look ?https://t.co/Rt3CeiCg7s

  — FIA (@fia) April 25, 2023

  Ben Sulayem was told that the FIA could be “liable” for harming the value of F1’s owners, Liberty Media.

  The president has also clashed with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton over the wearing of jewellery in the cockpit, while the FIA this season U-turned on a move to prevent drivers from making “political, religious or personal” comments without prior approval following a driver-led backlash.

  Ben Sulayem gave up the day-to-day running of F1 to director of single-seater racing Nikolas Tombazis in February. He is however expected to attend this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix despite the latest storm.

• Fraser McConnell caps off NitroRX season with podium finish as Dreyer & Reinbold claims team title

   Jamaica’s lone rally cross driver Fraser McConnell capped off a fine 2022/23 Nitro Rally Cross season by finishing second in the season finale Group E Round 10 event at Glen Helen Raceway in California last weekend.  McConnell demonstrated his tactical prowess during the damp six-lap final, only to be edged out by Dreyer&Reinbold Swedish teammate Robin Larsson, who took the final event in a time of 4:58:964.

  Norway’s Andreas Bakkerud made it a clean sweep for team DRR after finishing third.

  For his efforts, McConnell ended the overall championship third in Nitro RX 2022/23 and his contribution also allowed for team DRR to secure the team title which was pleasing for the Jamaican.  “It has been a really great season in Nitro with me having a lot on the table and racing alongside people like Travis Pastrana, who is my childhood hero,” McConnell said.

  “To be able to get third in the Championship with such a stacked field, was a big accomplishment for myself and Jamaica.”

  McConnell entered the final day as one of the top five racers who were close in the championship standings. With Larsson eventually sewing up the championship, it was down to McConnell and Pastrana to see who would finish second and third, with the American just edging out the Jamaican in the last race of the season.

   Following another successful season made possible by the support of sponsors Tru Shake, Just Bet, Proven Wealth, Jamaica Tourist Board and Rainforest Seafood, McConnell is already looking ahead to next season with his team in talks with the Nitro RX organizers to kick off the new season in June of this year.

   “I am very happy with where I am at in my career and this past season really developed me as a driver. This shows that I can compete and beat the best in the world,” added McConnell.

   After a break back home, McConnell will next turn his attention to the X44 Vida Carbon Racing, the Extreme E Team founded by Seven-Time Formula 1 Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton.

   McConnell will join season-two winner and World Champion Cristina Gutiérrez as his race partner.