The rally world is in shock after the news that Irish driver Craig Breen, 33, was killed during a test drive for WRC Croatia Rally 2023 on Thursday.

Krapina-Zagorje County police said the driver of a rally car was killed in Lobor while training for Croatia Rally, while the co-driver was not hurt. The accident occurred at 12.14 pm when the car swerved off a local road and hit a wooden pole.

Hyundai Motorsport said in a statement it “is deeply saddened to confirm that driver Craig Breen today lost his life following an accident during the pre-event test for Croatia Rally. Co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the incident that occurred just after midday local time.”

“On behalf of the FIA, I wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Craig Breen following his passing during a private testing accident in Croatia. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones and the entire Rally community at this difficult time,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

“We are all devastated by this shocking and tragic news,” Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation (HAKS) president Davorin Stetner told an extraordinary press conference.

Investigations are under way, including by the FIA, he said, extending condolences on behalf of the organiser and the HAKS “to Breen’s family, the Irish Federation and the entire rally community.”

The president of the WRC Croatia Rally organising committee, Danijel Saskin, said that “officially, nothing like this happened at World Rally Championships since 1986.” He said he regretted that it happened in Croatia and extended his condolences to Breen’s family and friends.

Breen was an experienced rally driver, debuting at WRC in 2009. This would have been his third WRC Croatia Rally, which is taking place 20-23 April. He participated in 2021, when he finished eighth, and in 2022, when he finished fourth.

Although he never won the WRC, between 2016 and 2023 Breen scored eight podiums, the last time in Sweden last February, finishing second, and 30 stage wins.