
Italian rally driver Matteo Doretto dies aged 21 after crash in testing in Poland
ROME (AP) — Italian rally driver Matteo Doretto has died in an accident while testing his car in Poland, the European Rally Championship says.
Doretto was conducting a private test session on Wednesday morning for the upcoming Rally Poland 'when he lost his life in an accident,' the ERC said in a statement late Wednesday. It added that co-driver Samuele Pellegrino was unhurt.
Advertisement
The Automobile Club of Italy said Doretto hit a tree while testing his Peugeot 208 car in northeastern Poland.
The 21-year-old Doretto was the Italian junior champion last year and was in his first season in the ERC. He was fourth in the junior standings.
'With potential in abundance, Matteo was polite, engaging but, above all, modest,' the ERC said.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
11 hours ago
- New York Post
Buzzing cicada causes panicked Ohio driver to lose control and flip car: ‘Keep the windows up'
What a buzz kill! An Ohio driver bugged out behind the wheel when a rogue cicada flew into his SUV — causing him to lose control and flip the vehicle as he frantically tried to swat away the winged intruder. The wild wreck unfolded Wednesday afternoon, when the bug-eyed menace zipped through an open window of the 37-year-old driver's Kia Sorento as he cruised through Blue Ash, about 14 miles northeast of Cincinnati, according to a crash report obtained by USA Today. 4 The frantic driver rolled his SUV onto its side this week while trying to get a cicada out of his car. Blue Ash Police Department/Facebook The panicked motorist tried to shoo the buzzing nuisance away but ended up veering off the road, crashing into a pole and rolling his silver car onto its passenger side. 'We're all well aware that these pesky cicada don't respect personal space, including while driving,' the Blue Ash Police Department said in a Facebook post. 4 The panicked motorist tried to shoo the buzzing nuisance away but ended up veering off the road, crashing into a pole and rolling his silver car onto its passenger side. AP 4 The red-eyed bugs are the second-largest of the periodical cicadas — a species that hunkers underground for years as nymphs, feeding on tree sap, before bursting to the surface when the soil temperatures reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit. AP 'It may be a good idea to keep the windows up for the next several weeks. As you can see, a cicada attack can be dangerous.' Police also shared a photo of the mangled car on its side, with a shattered windshield and airbags seemingly deployed. The driver walked away unharmed, though cops joked that the noisy suspect 'fled the scene.' 4 Billions of the cyclical critters from the Brood XIV class are expected to descend on 13 states this year. AP Billions of the cyclical critters from the Brood XIV class are expected to descend on 13 states this year, including New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio, experts have warned. The red-eyed bugs are the second-largest of the periodical cicadas — a species that hunkers underground for years as nymphs, feeding on tree sap, before bursting to the surface when the soil temperatures reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
FIA suspends steward for Canadian Grand Prix over Verstappen penalty comments
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, sits in his car during a pit stop at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix auto race, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) Formula 1's governing body has suspended a driver steward for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix over comments he made regarding a penalty Max Verstappen received two weeks ago. The FIA said Friday that Derek Warwick's comments were not authorized and he will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi, who will officiate from the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva for the remainder of the weekend. Advertisement 'After discussion, Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised in his role as an FIA steward and has apologized,' the FIA said in a statement. 'Derek will resume his duties as a steward in the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix.' Verstappen received a three-point penalty for running George Russell off track at the Spanish Grand Prix. The penalty put the four-time reigning F1 champion just one point away from an automatic one-race suspension. Warwick did an interview with a gambling publication in which he defended the penalty levied to Verstappen as the 'perfect' punishment because the Dutchman was "absolutely wrong' in the contact with Russell. It is the second time this year the FIA has penalized a race steward. Advertisement Johnny Herbert was let go in January as a steward because the FIA said his 'duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible.' The FIA said the decision was made 'with regret.' Herbert at the end of the 2024 season gave several interviews to gambling sites, some related to high-profile decisions he was involved with in his role as a steward. He even had a public argument with Jos Verstappen, father of the four-time champion, after Verstappen was penalized in Mexico City for an incident with Lando Norris. Jos Verstappen alleged Herbert was biased and said 'the FIA should take a good look at the staffing of the stewards, who they put there and whether there is no appearance of a conflict of interest." Herbert in turn criticized Verstappen's driving and called it 'over the top.' He also said Verstappen had developed 'a horrible mindset of trying to gain an advantage by taking a fellow driver off the race track.' Advertisement The FIA determined Herbert had displayed impartiality and could no longer be a steward. Warwick, meanwhile, has apologized and the FIA has indicated his punishment is only for this weekend. ___ AP auto racing:


Business Journals
17 hours ago
- Business Journals
Eataly, Rivian and 'Top Chef' alum Stephen Aspirino's Aquasan launch in South Florida
An Italian food hall, an EV showroom and a newly rebranded chef-backed fusion spot are all making moves in South Florida—here's what to know.