Jamaican Fraser McConnell began his 2025 RallyX Euro Series campaign on a positive note as he secured a second-place finish in both new car and track conditions at Montalegre, Portugal, at the weekend.

In Round One of the 13-race series, taking place across seven venues in Europe, McConnell  advanced to the finals in both the FC2 Class and the Open 4WD Pro Class. He finished fifth in the FC2 Class and secured second place in the Open 4WD Pro Class, a notable achievement given the debut conditions.

“It was a new car and a new track, so I had to learn quickly. To walk away with a podium in my first weekend under these conditions is definitely a strong start,” McConnell said.

McConnell carried his momentum into Round Two, as he posted the second fastest times in qualifiers one and two and the 3rd fastest in qualifier three, which placed him second overall in the Open 4WD Pro Class after qualifying. However, during the semi-final, he started from pole position but was edged out at the first corner. He then battled from 3rd position but was taken out by another competitor. Despite recovering, he finished fifth, narrowly missing the final.

Following rapid repairs, McConnell started the FC2 Final in second position, but mechanical issues affected his performance. He finished fourth in the FC2 Final, after which he discovered that a failing turbo was the cause of the power loss.

“Missing out on a podium finish on Sunday was disappointing considering the strong starting position earned from the qualifying races, but that is motorsports. Also, considering it was my first weekend in this car and my first time racing in Portugal, I’m happy with my performance and confident of a very good showing in the remaining rounds," he shared.

McConnell will next be in action in Round three of the RallyX Euro Series, set for April 26-27 in the Netherlands.