Tragic Crash Kills Junior Rally Champion Matteo Doretto in Poland

PORDENONE, Italy – Matteo Doretto, the 21-year-old Italian rally champion, died from injuries sustained in a crash during pre-race tests for the Rally of Poland on June 11, 2025. The incident occurred near Elganowo, close to Pasym, when Doretto’s Peugeot 208 Rally4 veered off the road and struck a tree. Doretto was pronounced dead at the scene, confirmed Grzegorz Różański, a spokesperson for the Olsztyn fire department.

Co-driver Samuele Pellegrino, 26, was hospitalized but reported to be in good condition. Initial reports indicated that Pellegrino was able to exit the vehicle on his own after the crash. According to Różański, Doretto’s car lost control at high speed and hit the only tree in the area, leading to a catastrophic impact mainly on the driver’s side.

Emergency personnel worked for an extended period to extricate Doretto from the wreckage, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Doretto was considered a rising star in the rally world, having recently won the Italian Junior title in November 2024 at the Sanremo Rally, partnering with navigator Marco Frigo.

The tragic news sent shockwaves through the motorsport community, with numerous colleagues and friends expressing their condolences on social media. Local authorities also weighed in, including Massimiliano Fedriga, the president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, who shared his sympathies on Facebook, describing Doretto as a passionate and talented individual whose memory would always live on.

This incident marks a grim moment in rally history, drawing attention to the dangers faced by drivers. Doretto had shown promise in his young career, having progressed to compete in the European Rally Championship, where he had secured a podium finish in Hungary just weeks before his death. He began his racing career in 2022 and quickly made a name for himself in the junior circuits.