Key takeaways
Fatal Crash: Rally driver Samuel Ortiz, 30, died instantly in a crash during the Rallye de La Cerámica in Spain; his brother Jordi Ortiz, 32, remains in serious condition in the hospital.
Race Suspended: The second day of the rally was canceled as a mark of grief and respect by the organizers.
Community Tribute: Fellow drivers and motorsport organizations expressed condolences, highlighting Samuel as a beloved and smiling personality in the rally world.
The racing community has lost a star.
Rally driver Samuel Ortiz died at age 30 in a car crash with his brother Jordi Ortiz—who was hospitalized—during the Rallye de La Cerámica race in Spain May 29.
“During the course of the second stage of the Rally de la Cerámica, held on Friday afternoon/evening,” the Rallye Club Costa Azahar shared in a statement translated from Spanish on Facebook May 30, “brothers Jordi and Samuel Ortiz suffered a serious accident, as a result of which the co-driver (Samuel) died on the spot.”
The committee noted that 32-year-old Jordi, who was driving the car, was admitted to a nearby hospital “in a very serious condition.”