A fatal accident during the sixth Rally 550 Challenge Mallorca led organisers to cancel the remainder of the competition on Friday, 9 October 2026, after a car left the road in the Serra de Tramuntana.
The crash occurred at approximately 13:00 on the Ma-10 road, at kilometre 10 near Mortitx, on the stretch between Pollença and Lluc. The Porsche fell down a ravine estimated to be around 30 metres deep.
The 63-year-old German driver died in the accident. His co-driver, a 39-year-old German woman, suffered serious spinal injuries and was taken to Son Espases University Hospital in Palma.
Emergency Teams Rescue the Injured Co-Driver
Firefighters from Mallorca’s Alcúdia and Inca stations attended the scene. Rescue teams had to descend into the ravine to reach the vehicle and extract the injured woman.
Medical personnel treated her before she was transferred to hospital. The Guardia Civil confirmed the fatality and injuries and opened an investigation to establish the circumstances of the crash.
As of the initial reports, investigators had not determined whether the accident was caused by a driving manoeuvre, a mechanical failure or another factor. No cause should therefore be treated as confirmed.
Porsche Was Reportedly an Opening Car
Further reporting indicated that the Porsche involved was carrying the number 000 and was serving as an opening car, rather than competing for the rally’s classification.
Opening cars travel through a stage ahead of the timed competitors as part of the event’s organisation. This distinction means the vehicle was reportedly not racing against the clock for the rally result when the accident occurred.
The exact circumstances of the crash remain subject to the Guardia Civil investigation.
Organisers Cancel the Remaining Rally Stages
Following news of the driver’s death and the co-driver’s serious injuries, the organisers announced the definitive suspension of all remaining timed stages and activities associated with the event.
In their official statement, they described the decision as painful but irrevocable, stressing that sporting results and competition had to take second place in the face of such a serious incident.
The rally had been scheduled to run from 8 to 10 October. The cancellation brought the event to an early end.
Tributes Following the Fatal Accident
The Balearic Islands’ regional government expressed its condolences to the deceased driver’s family and friends and offered support to the wider motorsport community. It also wished the injured co-driver a recovery.
The accident has cast a shadow over the sixth Rally 550 Challenge Mallorca. The investigation remains essential to establishing exactly what happened on the mountain road near Mortitx.