French duo taken to hospital after new crash in Mortagua at Rally Portugal

French driver Tom Pieri and co-driver Alexis Mailfert (Renault Clio) were taken to the Coimbra hospital this Friday as a precaution after being involved in an accident on the last stage of the Rally Portugal in Mortagua.

The team, car number 68, suffered a rollover at the end of the first stage of the 57th Portuguese Rally, the fifth race of the World Championship, on the final special stage of the day in Mortagua, which had already been the scene of two other rollovers on the first pass.

According to a security source at the rally, “two crew members left the vehicle on their own.”

“It was only later that they complained and called an ambulance, being taken to hospital as a precaution with what were considered minor injuries,” the same source told Lusa.

Northern Ireland resident William Creighton (Ford Fiesta) also overturned in the same area, without any physical consequences for either the driver or co-driver Liam Regan.

The section was shut down due to two accidents.

Early in the morning, the first drive along the special Mortagua track was interrupted by the organizers due to two similar accidents that occurred with two participants at different times of the race.

First up was Spanish WRC2 driver Pepe Lopes, who flipped his Ford Fiesta after allowing the rear of his car to slide too much, causing it to hit a dirt hill on the outside of a corner and flip over.

The incident had no physical consequences for either the pilot or navigator David Vasquez.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Yuki Yamamoto (Toyota Yaris) also flipped at the 15th kilometer of this first stage, ending the competition for good at the Mortagua stage.

Both the pilot and navigator Marko Salminen were not injured.