Motorsport: Co-driver dies in Rally of Britain

LONDON - The death of Peugeot's British co-driver Michael Park cast a pall over the motor rally of Britain today.

The final stages were cancelled following the fatal accident, the first in the championship for more than a decade, with cars returning to rally headquarters in Cardiff for the formal finish.

On a grim day for the sport, Park's grieving team announced their immediate withdrawal from the event.

Citroen's race leader Sebastien Loeb, who would have clinched his second successive championship as a result, then took time penalties to ensure he did not win in such circumstances.

Norwegian Petter Solberg, in a Subaru, therefore 'won' the race for the fourth successive year with Citroen's Belgian Francois Duval second and Loeb third to keep the championship open until Japan next month.

Park, 39, from Newent in Gloucestershire, was partnering Estonian Markko Martin, who was unhurt in the 15th stage accident.

Peugeot, Citroen's stablemates in the PSA Group, said Martin went off the road and hit a tree on the passenger side.

"It is with deep regret that the organisers of Wales Rally GB confirm that Michael Park ... has been fatally injured," a statement said.

"Next of kin have been informed."

Park, nicknamed 'Beef', was a highly experienced co-driver who had worked with former champions Richard Burns and Colin McRae.

Married with two children, he teamed up with Martin in 2000 when the Estonian was rallying a privately-entered Toyota.

They stayed together at Subaru and Ford before moving to Peugeot this year.

The pairing had won five rallies and were the only ones to have scored points in every event this year, starting the weekend fourth in the championship.

Martin, whose team were just six points behind stablemates Citroen in the manufacturers' championship before today, was in sixth place at the time of the accident.

The sport's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), offered its condolences, as did other teams.

The leading drivers turned off their cars' engines and held a minute's silence on arrival at the finish in a hushed Millennium Stadium.

There was no winner announcement and no champagne celebration.

Loeb had been heading for a record ninth win of the season, and first in Britain, until the crash.

Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm, Loeb's closest rival in a championship that has become a foregone conclusion, was in third place and a further 41.8 seconds behind.

Loeb had needed to beat Gronholm by eight points to retain his world championship with four rounds to spare.

- REUTERS