A tragic incident occurred during the Rallye de La Ceramica 2026 in Spain’s Castellon province, resulting in the death of a young rally driver and leaving his brother, who was driving the vehicle, in critical condition. The fatal crash took place as the two brothers were participating in the race on the CV-189 route between L’Alcora and Onda. The vehicle, a Honda Civic, veered off the track and collided with a crash barrier.
The younger brother, Samuel Ortiz, aged 30, lost his life in the collision, while his older brother, Jordi, aged 33, was rushed to the hospital in a severe state. Following the tragic event, the organizers promptly halted the rally. The Rallye Club Costa Azahar issued a statement expressing condolences to Samuel’s family and friends and wishing Jordi a speedy recovery.
Both occupants of the vehicle had to be extricated by firefighters, with one occupant succumbing to injuries on-site. Tributes poured in from the motorsport community in response to the heartbreaking accident. The President of the Valencian government, JuanFran Perez Llorca, offered condolences to Samuel’s family and expressed support for Jordi’s recovery.
Various motorsport enthusiasts shared messages of mourning and hope for Jordi’s recovery on social media platforms like Facebook. The motorsport industry mourned the loss of co-driver Samuel Ortiz and extended sympathies to his family and friends, emphasizing the importance of suspending competitions during such tragedies.
Rallye Festival Hoznayo joined in expressing condolences for Samuel Ortiz’s passing and sending wishes for Jordi’s swift recovery. The motorsport community rallied together to honor Samuel’s memory and support his family during this difficult time.
