Martell Wins First European Gravel Rally!
Conner Martell extended his win streak this past weekend at the final round of the French Gravel Championship – “Rallye Terre de Vaucluse”! Martell led the rally through multiple chaotic stages marked by punctures, mechanical issues, and crashes among top competitors. Local French drivers Cédric Rabasse and Thibault de la Haye took second overall in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, followed by Mathieu Franceschi and Maëlle Casays in third after recovering from an early-morning puncture.
The Rallye provided beautiful roads passing through colorful vineyards in “Courthézon” and the surrounding area of France. The region experienced two days of rain prior to the event making the stages exponentially more challenging due to the tackiness of the mud and serious lack of grip. Martell & Co-Driver Alex Gelsomino ended the event with five stage wins and an overall lead of three minutes.
Martell had this to say about the event : “Taking the overall at Vaucluse was the perfect way to end the season! This was my first European rally last year where I secured a 2nd place finish, so to come back and get redemption is a super great feeling. We had many ups and downs in the earlier part of the year competing in the first three rounds of the French Gravel Championship which made this feel like a true full circle moment. The stages were extremely tricky due to the wet conditions and lack of grip but we went into the Rally confident knowing we had experience from last year. I hope to make it back to France and Europe to race in the 2027 season and I can’t thank my team 2C Competition for helping me take my driving and race-craft to new levels this year!”
Follow Conner on Instagram @ConnerMartell21 to keep up with announcements regarding the 2027 Rally Season!
