Unfortunately, Fidel Castillo Ruiz’s chances of winning the 2024 FIA European Baja Cup appear to be slim. He recently announced that due to a broken collarbone he sustained at the Hungarian Baja, he will not be able to compete in this weekend’s Baja TT Sharish Gin.
Castillo suffered a broken collarbone and a lung injury during a rollover accident at the Hungarian Baja. This incident also led to František Brutovský breaking his vertebra in a separate accident. As a safety precaution, Martin Koloc withdrew from the race. Castillo received medical treatment in Madrid following the accident.
Although Castillo’s health has improved since the accident, he has not been cleared by doctors to participate in the upcoming Baja TT Sharish Gin in Portugal. As a result, his hopes of winning the European Baja Cup outright have diminished, and he now sits in sixth place with 75 points, far behind the leader João Ferreira with 128 points. He is still in contention for the SSV championship, but catching up to the leaders seems unlikely unless they face setbacks.
In a statement, Castillo expressed his disappointment at missing the race but assured fans that he is recovering well and looking forward to a new project. He thanked everyone for their support during his recovery.
Throughout the European Baja Cup season, Castillo has shown strong performance, finishing as runner-up in SSV in the first race and winning his class in the Italian Baja. He has also tested a Ford Ranger T1+ in Morocco and plans to focus on SSV racing, while fellow racer Pau Navarro will drive the Ranger in the 2025 Dakar Rally.
The European Baja Cup season will conclude with the Baja Troia Türkiye in November.
