Martell Finishes Second in European Rally Debut at Rallye Terre de Vaucluse
Courthézon, Vaucluse, France — Conner Martell made a stellar European rally debut last weekend, taking three stage wins and finishing second overall at Rallye Terre de Vaucluse in the Michelin-equipped No. 21 2C Compétition Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with co-driver Alex Gelsomino.
As the final round of the French Gravel Rally Championship, Rally Terre de Vaucluse attracts the top national competitors from across France. The Courthézon-based event featured 10 stages covering 152 kilometers (94 miles), twisting through vineyards and château plateaus and diving into high-speed limestone foothills, with road surfaces that stay abrasive when dry and soft and rutted when wet.
After Friday’s shakedown, Martell and Gelsomino took to the stages in their patriotically-wrapped Škoda on Saturday morning for what Martell described as one of the toughest rally days of his career. Starting eighth, they quickly found their rhythm and posted the third-fastest time on SS3 “Plan de Dieu,” climbing to fourth overall by day’s end.
Following an overnight regroup, Martell attacked Sunday’s stages with renewed focus, setting the fastest time on SS7 “Vaudieu,” repeating the feat on its second pass, and closing the rally with a win on SS10 “Ruth,” the longest and most demanding stage of the event. Three stage wins and consistently fast stage times catapulted them to second overall out of 21 Rally2 entries.
Martell and Gelsomino’s debut together in the French Gravel Rally Championship demonstrated their international-level pace against the country’s top competitors on unfamiliar terrain, further cementing their growing reputation as one of rally’s most competitive pairings.
The team’s second place finish also capped a milestone for 2C Compétition, clinching the 2025 French Gravel Rally Championship Team title at its home round. Martell and Gelsomino’s three stage wins and consistent pace delivered a podium finish and the points 2C needed at the Courthézon finale to secure the crown.
The crew behind the No. 21 will carry this momentum into the 2026 season as they once again compete for the ARA National Championship and look to expand their international rally program.
Photo: Bastien Roux
Martell Celebrates a Hard-Earned Podium
“What an incredible weekend,” Martell said. “This was one of the toughest and most stressful events I’ve ever done in my life. I can’t thank Lorien from 2C and the entire 2C team enough for such a great weekend. They gave me an amazing car and helped me a lot throughout the event.
“It’s a very different style of racing here, only one-pass recce and not much time to review video, so Saturday was super stressful, really tough and technical. Sunday was a bit more American-style, with faster and flowier stages, so I felt more comfortable and was able to win three out of four stages. I’m really stoked about that.
“I hope we can come back, but for now I’m looking forward to getting back to America and starting next season. Huge thanks to everyone — Kubota, DirtFish, Michelin, and everyone involved. Thank you so much.”
Photo: Bastien Roux
Gelsomino Thankful for 2C’s Support
“It’s great to finish so well on Conner’s first European rally,” Gelsomino said. “Sunday we looked for more precision during our single-pass recce, which allowed us to push harder, netting three stage wins and second overall.
“The stages deteriorated a lot on the second runs, but thanks to our Michelin tires we were able to keep a fast pace without worrying about punctures. Additionally, we improved the setup of our Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with every loop, with the help of our event engineer, Arthur Pivato, and 2C Compétition driver and current French champion Laurent Pellier, whom we thank for his important feedback all week long.”
“All the work done with our team, 2C Compétition, this week in the pre-event test really paid off, and I want to thank them, along with our amazing sponsors, for making this result possible.”
Fans can follow Martell and Gelsomino’s journey online at:
➔ Instagram: @connermartell21 and @alexgelsomino
➔ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@connermartell21
Photo: Bastien Roux
About Conner Martell:
Conner Martell is a 28-year-old rally driver and a rising star in the motorsport world with a versatile background in rallycross, stage rally, and circuit racing. Martell dominated the 2018 ARX2 rallycross season, claiming the championship, before competing in the high-tech Nitrocross Group E category. Over the past two seasons, he has shifted his focus to stage rally, earning victories at Overmountain Rally Tennessee, and Boone Forest Rally, along with podium finishes at the Lake Superior Performance Rally, Sno*Drift Rally, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, Olympus Rally, and Oregon Trail Rally. When not racing, Martell serves as a test and development driver for Vermont SportsCar and enjoys outdoor adventures in his home state of Vermont.