Crews pause to remember fallen co-driver.

Fellow World Rally Championship crews paused to remember Junior WRC co-driver, Jorg Bastuck on Sunday at the finish of the Rally Catalunya in Salou.

Bastuck, who was Aaron Burkart's co-pilot, was killed on SS2 on Friday after a tragic accident, when he was hit by the Ford Fiesta of Barry Clark, as he was changing a wheel on his Citroen C2. Burkart and Bastuck were attending to their car after going off the road on the first run through the El Montmell stage. Although the 36-year-old was airlifted to hospital, his injuries were too severe.

Sebastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and others pay their respects to Jorg Bastuck, who was killed on the fi
Sebastien Loeb, Daniel Elena and others pay their respects to Jorg Bastuck, who was killed on…
© Les Kolczak

Fellow World Rally Championship crews paused to remember Junior WRC co-driver, Jorg Bastuck on Sunday at the finish of the Rally Catalunya in Salou.

Bastuck, who was Aaron Burkart's co-pilot, was killed on SS2 on Friday after a tragic accident, when he was hit by the Ford Fiesta of Barry Clark, as he was changing a wheel on his Citroen C2. Burkart and Bastuck were attending to their car after going off the road on the first run through the El Montmell stage. Although the 36-year-old was airlifted to hospital, his injuries were too severe.

The traditional prize-giving ceremony was cancelled, along with the FIA post-event press conference, and all the participants observed a minute's silence in memory of Bastuck.

"With the official flags flying at half-mast and the music of the Cant dels Ocells by Pau Casals, the WRC family, with race winner Sebastien Loeb in front and Dani Sordo and Marcus Gronholm at his side, paid an emotive tribute to Bastuck, in the presence of his widow and parents," read a statement from the organisers. "Accordingly, the crowd in Salou Promenade observed a minute's silence, only broken by applause in memory of Bastuck and their greetings to the protagonists of the World Rally Championship."

Rally Catalunya was the first Junior WRC event of the season for Bastuck and Burkart, who were competing in the PRT Motorsport C2 with backing from OMV.

"Jorg Bastuck's death is a tragic loss to all of us," said OMV's head of sponsoring Brigitte Muhlwisch on Friday. "Our thoughts and sympathies go to his family."

Subaru's sporting director, Luis Moya meanwhile sent a message of support to Bastuck's friends and family. "We were deeply saddened to hear that Jorg Bastuck died of his injuries from the accident on SS2 and our thoughts and sympathies go out to his friends and family at this time," he added.

Sebastien Loeb's co-driver, Daniel Elena felt it was a freak incident.

"You can only blame the most terrible bad luck," stated Elena. "Who could have said that two cars would go off in quick succession at the same place? But for everybody, this brings back some horrible memories."

All at Crash.net extend our sympathies to Jorg's family and friends.

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