[Auto] World Rally idol dies in brutal accident

[Draeno]

 

Irish driver Craig Breen (Hyundai) died in an accident during recognition of the next WRC World Cup race, the Rally Croatia (April 20-23), his team announced Thursday in a statement.

According to the Croatian authorities, the accident occurred near the city of Zlatar, in the north of the country.

The car went off the road and hit a wooden post," the police said in a statement. There are no further details about what happened.

Breen, 33, who had already driven with Hyundai between 2019 and 2021, was contesting only part of the World Cup events this season, sharing the wheel with the Spanish Dani Sordo. He had been second in the Swedish Rally, the second race of the season, in February.

The Croatian Rally was going to be his second round of the year. He did not participate in the inaugural test, the mythical Monte Carlo, nor in the Rally of Mexico, third stop of the year, leaving his place to Sordo. He was sixth in the World Championship before the Croatian Rally, the fourth round of the season (13 races).

"It is with deep sadness that Hyundai Motorsport confirms that driver Craig Breen lost his life today in an accident during reconnaissance for Rally Croatia," the South Korean team wrote in a brief statement.

The co-pilot was saved

"Co-driver James Fulton emerged unscathed from this accident suffered just after noon," Hyundai said, which will not make "further comments at this time."

Breen did not win any races in the World Championship, but he had nine podium finishes between 2016 and 2023, with six second places and three third places. The Irishman finished seventh in the World Cup in 2022 after two podiums, Monte Carlo (3rd) and Italy (2nd).

The son of former Irish driver Ray Breen, Craig began his career in Ireland in karting, making his rally debut in 2009, winning the Fiesta Sporting Trophy, earning him Young Irish Driver of the Year.

A native of Waterford, in the south-east of Ireland, he reached the premier class in 2016 with Citroën, scoring a podium finish in his first season in the elite, third place at Rally Finland.

not to believe

"I can't believe what I write. Life can be so fragile and unfair... I can't believe I lost my friend!" 2019 world champion Ott Tõnak (M-Ford Sport) reacted on Twitter. , Breen's former teammate at Hyundai.

"We sent each other texts and at one point you didn't answer anymore, I'm going to miss you my friend, a lot, a lot, a lot...", added the Estonian.

"I'm speechless," Frenchman Sébastien Ogier, eight-time world champion, wrote on social media. "Everyone loved Craig for his Irish character and his enthusiasm for our sport. My condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time," he added.

Reigning world rally champion Kalle Rovanperõ of Finland also reacted to Breen's death: "Rest in peace Craig, I'm thinking of your family and friends today."

The last WRC (World Rally Car) driver to die behind the wheel of his car was the Portuguese Augusto Mendes during the 1989 Rally de Portugal. Since then, four co-drivers have died in the race; the Frenchman Francis Malaussène in Monte Carlo (1990), the New Zealander Rodger Freeth in Australia (1993), the British Michael Park in Wales (2005) and the German Jörg Bastuck in Spain (2006).

 

https://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/automovilismo/craig-breen-piloto-de-rally-murio-en-accidente-video-758942