Rally over after death crash
Taken from Breaking news
Wales Rally GB has been brought to a premature end following the death of Englishman Michael Park on stage 15.
Park, co-driver of Peugeot’s Markko Martin, was fatally injured in an accident during the 17-mile Margam stage this morning, with early reports suggesting the car hit a tree on his side.
Rally organisers confirmed at 10.45am that Park, 39 and from Newent in Gloucestershire, had died.
Just 35 minutes later they also confirmed no further stages would go ahead.
Two more were scheduled, but the second run through Margam was made impossible after police sealed off the area to conduct routine investigations.
They have also cancelled the second Resolfen stage “on the advice of the FIA safety delegate”.
Competitors are now due to return to Cardiff for the scheduled 1400 finish, where no champagne will be sprayed and the planned press conference will not take place.
Organisers confirmed Park’s death in a statement.
It read: “It is with deep regret that the organisers of Wales Rally GB confirm that Michael Park (39) of Newent, Gloucestershire, UK, co-driver in car number eight has been fatally injured following an accident in special stage 15.
“The next of kin has been informed.
“The driver of car number eight, Markko Martin, is uninjured.”
The decision to cancel the remaining stages means Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb won the rally from Subaru’s Petter Solberg, with Marcus Gronholm claiming third place in his Peugeot.
Park, nicknamed ‘Beef’, had been Martin’s co-driver since 2000 but had been a familiar face in the world championship since 1994 during his time as Mark Higgins’ sidekick.
Rallying is one of the more dangerous forms of motorsport, with competitors driving flat out just inches away from trees, rocks and cliff edges.
Even though organisers do everything in their power to minimise risk, there remains the possibility that accidents, such as the 2001 crash in Wales which saw Carlos Sainz run over 13 spectators, can happen
