A devastating accident at the Rally Villa de Llanes has claimed the life of young co-driver Soraya Barreiro. The event was suspended immediately, casting a shadow over the championship and leaving the motorsport community in mourning.
On September 26, 2026, the Rally Villa de Llanes stopped cold. Soraya Barreiro, a 20-year-old co-driver, died in a crash on the El Mazucu stage. The car, a BMW 325i, left the road and caught fire. Her driver, Germán Romano, got out with burns. Barreiro did not make it out. The news spread fast. MARCA and El Comercio confirmed the details. The rally world was stunned.
Pablo Barreiro, Soraya's brother and a fellow competitor, reached the scene soon after. The El Mazucu stage was new this year. Four special stages were still left on the schedule. Motorsport and La Voz de Asturias reported these facts. The shock was immediate. The event could not go on.
The 2026 edition marked the 49th running of the Rally Villa de Llanes, with the El Mazucu stage being introduced as a new section for this year’s event.
Organizers called off the rest of the rally. All cars returned to parc fermé. No one finished the remaining stages. ‘Cohete’ Suárez was named champion, but the title meant little. The loss was too great. LNE and Motorsport noted that Escudería Villa de Llanes suspended the event "as a sign of deep mourning and utmost respect." The paddock fell silent.
This was not the first deadly crash at this rally. In 2021, a Seat Panda crashed on the El Fitu stage. Both the driver and co-driver died. Safety questions returned. The debate grew louder after a Spanish junior cycling coach was expelled from a world championship for reckless driving, as reported by earlier coverage. Motorsport in Spain faces hard questions.
Soraya Barreiro's death is a harsh reminder. Rallying is dangerous. The decision to stop the event was clear. It had to be done. But the pain remains for her family and friends. As the championship moves on, safety must come first. The risk is real. The cost is high.
El Comercio highlights that in various reports, Soraya Barreiro's age was inconsistently reported as either 19 or 20, but the earliest and most detailed accounts confirm she was 20 years old at the time of the accident. This detail underscores the importance of fact-checking in the aftermath of such tragedies.
