Sport

Death of Craig Breen in Croatia crash leaves Irish motorsport community in shock

‘Craig was a world-class driver and a world-class person,’ says Motorsport Ireland president Aiden Harper

Craig Breen, who has died at the age of 33. Photograph: Micke Fransson/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images
Craig Breen, who has died at the age of 33. Photograph: Micke Fransson/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images
Martin Walsh
Fri Apr 14 2023 - 06:00

Ireland’s top rally star, Waterford’s Craig Breen (33), was killed during a pre-event test yesterday aboard his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. The test with his Hyundai Motorsport team was in preparation for next week’s fourth round of the World Rally Championship in Croatia. His co-driver from Cavan, James Fulton, was unharmed in the incident that occurred just after midday local time.

The Waterford ace was an immensely popular driver at home and abroad , his off-the-cuff, end-of-stage comments to the WRC Live channel endearing him to fans around the globe. Since childhood Breen had pursued his chief career ambition: to become a professional rally driver.

Just this year he returned to the Korean team following a year as lead driver with the M-Sport Ford team. Although it was only a partial drive with Hyundai, it began well with a second-place finish in Rally Sweden last February.

From karting Breen progressed to rallying and was always single-minded in his determination to attain his ambition. He drove for Citroen, Hyundai (twice) and M-Sport Ford and took many podium positions in events all over the world.

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While he had great success, he also had some dark days, such as in 2019 when he had no drive in the World Rally series, or last year when his contract with M-Sport Ford ended prematurely. But he showed courage and resilience and bounced back. In 2019, he returned home and won the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and this year, he rejoined Hyundai and immediately regained his top form.

Rallying was very much in his blood. His father Ray won the Irish National Rally Championship (2005) and the Irish Forestry (2008) series.

From his first season as a rally driver, he was a winner. In 2009 – in his first outing in the WRC – he secured a class win and 25th overall in Rally Portugal; he also won the Irish and UK Fiesta Sporting Trophies. The same year, he also won the Irish National Junior Rally Championship and the Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award.

He continued to add to his honours, winning in the Pirelli Star Driver Global Shootout Final (2010); the WRC Academy Championship (2011) and the Super 2000 World Rally Championship (2012).

After joining Citroen he came third in Finland (2016) and second in Sweden (2018). With Hyundai in 2020 and 2021 his success included podium places in Estonia, Ypres and Finland. Last year, he joined M-Sport Ford (finishing third in Monte Carlo), in what was the new hybrid era of the World Rally Championship, before returning to Hyundai this year.

Motorsport Ireland president Aiden Harper said: “The Irish motorsport community is numbed by this tragic news. Craig was a world-class driver and a world-class person. To Craig’s family, his parents Ray and Jackie, his sister Kellie, brother-in-law Darragh and nephew Bobbie, I wish to extend my deepest condolences and all our thoughts remain with Craig’s co-driver James Fulton. May they all find the strength and support they need at this unimaginably tragic time.”

Saturday’s Munster Moonraker Rally in Ballyvourney, Co Cork and the Carrick-on-Suir Hillclimb have been postponed as a mark of respect.