German Businessman Klaus Rader Killed in Crash at Mallorca Rally
German businessman and experienced motorsport driver Klaus Rader, 63, died in a crash during the "550 Challenge Mallorca" rally on the Spanish island of Mallorca. His co-driver Christine Etel suffered severe spinal injuries, and organisers cancelled the remaining events.
A 63-year-old German businessman and experienced motorsport driver, Klaus Rader, has died in a serious crash during the "550 Challenge Mallorca" rally on the island of Mallorca. He was a co-founder of the restaurant chains "Vapiano" and "L'Osteria". After the accident, organisers cancelled all remaining events. The news was reported by "Motorsport.com" and other media.
What happened
The crash took place on the MA-10 mountain road section between Pollença and Lluc. Rader was driving a 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS and acting as the safety, or "zero", car. Such a car, marked with the number 000 ("Zero Car"), runs ahead of the official competitors.
Travelling at high speed, the car left the road, struck a protective barrier and fell into a ravine. Rader died at the scene.
Co-driver in hospital
His 39-year-old co-driver, Austrian professional rally driver Christine Etel, suffered severe spinal injuries. She was taken in serious condition to a hospital in Palma de Mallorca.
The source does not state the cause of the crash. Following the tragic incident, organisers immediately halted the event and cancelled the rest of the programme.
