Rally Driver Jesús López Dies in Crash at Subida a Taboadela in Spain

Fatal crash at the Subida a Taboadela

Spanish rally driver Jesús López, known in regional motorsport by the nickname 'Pijo', died on Sunday, 23 August 2026, after a crash during the seventh edition of the Subida a Taboadela in the province of Ourense. The competition, an official points-scoring round for the Galician Mountain Championship organized under the Xunta de Galicia sporting calendar, was suspended immediately following the accident. The incident occurred around 12:00 during the active running of the event. According to reports from the regional emergency dispatch service 112 Galicia, López's vehicle left the roadway, caught fire, and was left completely burned out beside the track.

Collisions and emergency mobilization

As the vehicle went off the course, it collided with a second competition car and also struck an onlooker situated near the racing line. The driver of the second vehicle sustained injuries described by emergency services as serious, while the spectator suffered minor injuries that were assessed as non-critical. Event organizers had stationed medical teams and ambulances along the route, allowing healthcare staff to provide primary assistance at the scene before transferring both wounded individuals to the Hospital of Ourense.

The regional emergency service 112 Galicia coordinated a multi-agency response after receiving notification from the Galician Health Emergency Service (061). Operational units deployed to the site included firefighters from the San Cibrao das Viñas fire station, emergency personnel from the Pereiro de Aguiar Special Emergency Group (GES), and officers from the Guardia Civil Traffic division to secure the area. In addition to treating the crash victims, the 061 service sent an auxiliary medical unit to assist López's wife and goddaughter, who were present at the venue and experienced severe distress following the crash.

Event cancellation and tributes

Following confirmation of the driver's death, the Galician Motorsport Federation (Federación Galega de Automobilismo) published a formal statement expressing its condolences and announcing the complete cancellation of the competition. Regional racing entities and civic bodies offered tributes to the driver, noting his extensive involvement across multiple motor disciplines, including hillclimbs, stage rallies, rallysprints, rallymix, and slalom. For decades, López had competed behind the wheel of his recognizable Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, forming a fixture of Galician mountain racing.

A tireless driver who has competed in almost every motorsport discipline that ever existed.

The provincial government, Deputación de Ourense, also released a statement mourning the loss and extending condolences to the family, friends, and the motorsport community of Ourense.