ROME — The tragic death of Italian rally driver Matteo Doretto occurred during a testing session in Poland, the European Rally Championship (ERC) has reported.
Doretto was involved in a private session early Wednesday morning, in preparation for the upcoming Rally Poland, when the accident took place, according to a statement released by the ERC on Wednesday evening. Fortunately, his co-driver, Samuele Pellegrino, escaped unharmed from the incident.
Details provided by the Automobile Club of Italy revealed that Doretto’s Peugeot 208 collided with a tree while being tested in the northeastern part of Poland.
At just 21, Doretto had already made a name for himself, securing the title of Italian junior champion the previous year. He was competing in his inaugural season in the ERC and held fourth place in the junior rankings.
The ERC paid tribute to Doretto, remembering him as a young talent teeming with potential who was not only polite and engaging but also remarkably modest.