Craig Breen facts for kids
Breen in 2012.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Irish |
| Born | 2 February 1990 Waterford, Ireland |
| Died | 13 April 2023 (aged 33) Lobor, Croatia |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2009–2012, 2014–2023 |
| Teams | Peugeot Sport, Citroën, Hyundai, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team |
| Rallies | 81 |
| Championships | 1 |
| Rally wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 8 |
| Stage wins | 30 |
| Total points | 372 |
| First rally | 2009 Rally de Portugal |
| Last rally | 2023 Rally Sweden |
Craig Breen (born February 2, 1990 – died April 13, 2023) was a famous Irish rally driver. He competed in the WRC (World Rally Championship) for the Hyundai team. Craig was the world champion in the WRC Super 2000 category in 2012. He won several races that year, including the Monte Carlo Rally and Wales Rally GB.
In 2011, Craig also won the WRC Academy championship. He won his first event at the 2011 Rallye Deutschland and secured the championship at Wales Rally GB. He even won the Rentokil Historic Rally in Ireland with his BMW M3 car.
Sadly, Craig Breen passed away on April 13, 2023. This happened after an accident during a practice session for the 2023 Croatia Rally.
Contents
Craig Breen's Rally Journey
Craig Breen grew up around rallying. His father, Ray Breen, was a national champion in Irish rallying. Craig started karting (a type of racing with small vehicles) in Ireland in 1999. By 2007, he began rally driving, while still karting in Europe.
Starting His Professional Career
In 2009, Craig focused completely on rallying. He competed in the Irish, British, and International Fiesta Sporting Trophys. He won all three championships! Because of these wins, he earned a special contract with M-Sport, a big rally team. He was also named Young Irish Rally Driver of the Year.
In 2010, Craig started driving the Ford Fiesta S2000 car. He got his first win in the British Rally Championship at the 2010 Ulster Rally. He also finished 2nd overall in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Becoming a Champion
In 2011, Craig joined the WRC Academy. He drove a Ford Fiesta R2. He won his first WRC event at the Rallye Deutschland. His win at Wales Rally GB made him the very first WRC Academy Cup champion.
For 2012, Craig moved up to the S-WRC series. He drove a Ford Fiesta S2000. He won the first race in Monte Carlo. He was leading the championship after the second race in Sweden.
Sadly, during a race in June 2012, Craig's co-driver, Gareth Roberts, passed away in an accident. Despite this difficult time, Craig showed amazing strength. In November, he won the Super 2000 world championship. He was very emotional, saying he couldn't believe he had achieved it.
Joining New Teams
In 2013, Craig and his new co-driver Paul Nagle joined Peugeot. They competed in the ERC (European Rally Championship). Craig did very well, finishing on the podium five times. He ended the season in 3rd place overall. Later, Paul Nagle left to help another driver. Lara Vanneste became Craig's co-driver.
Craig and co-driver Scott Martin won the 2015 Circuit of Ireland Rally. This was a dream come true for Craig.
In 2016, Craig achieved his first win on a special stage (a part of a rally race) at the 2016 Rally Finland. He also got his first podium finish (top three) in a WRC event in Finland that year. He improved this in 2018 by finishing second in Sweden.
In 2021, it was announced that Craig would be the main driver for the M-Sport Ford WRT team in 2022. His last win was at the Killarney Historics rally in November 2021.
Before the 2022 Rally Spain, James Fulton became Craig's new co-driver. Craig then moved to the Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT team for the 2023 season. He and James Fulton achieved a podium finish at 2023 Rally Sweden.
His Final Race
Craig Breen passed away on April 13, 2023. He was driving his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 rally car during a practice session for the 2023 Croatia Rally. The front of his car hit a pole, which caused fatal injuries. His co-driver, James Fulton, was not hurt in the accident.
Images for kids
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Breen in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Craig Breen para niños
