European Rally Championship

Motorsport in mourning after champion driver dies in Rally Poland crash

Sheona Mountford Wednesday 11 June 2025 18:54

Italian driver Matteo Doretto has died at the age of 21 following an accident during pre-race testing at Rally Poland.

The 2024 Italian Junior champion was driving the Peugeot 208 Rally4 alongside co-driver Samuele Pellegrino, when the crew collided into a tree on the roads around Elganowo, near Pasym.

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According to Grzegorz Różański, spokesman for the Olsztyn city fire department, the impact was violent and it took a long time to extract Doretto’s body from the cockpit.

Pellegrino exited the vehicle independently and has been hospitalised as a precaution.

Who was Rally star Matteo Doretto?

The Italian achieved three victories in the Italian Junior championship last year, and finished four and a half points ahead of his compatriot Dei Ceci to take the title.

Three weeks ago Doretto placed third at Rally Hungary in the junior category of the ERC, following his step up at the beginning of the year to the European Rally Championship Junior.

Doretto’s championship victory in 2024 clearly impressed given his rise to the European Rally Championship this year, with Rally Poland his first major event in the category.

The Rally Poland is the third-oldest rally in the world, and the 81st edition is scheduled to take place this weekend from Friday June 13 until Sunday June 15.

FIA

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