Craig Breen was a talented and fearless rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC) for several teams, most recently for Hyundai. He was the 2012 Super 2000 WRC champion and had 19 podium finishes.

His peers and fans widely admired and respected him for his skill, passion, and sportsmanship. He tragically died in a testing accident in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration.

Profile

• Full name: Craig Breen
• Date of birth: February 2, 1990
• Age: 33 years old (at the time of death)
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Slieverue, County Kilkenny, Ireland
• Nationality: Irish
• Profession: Rally driver
• Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
• Parents: Ray Breen (father), Noreen Breen (mother)
• Siblings: Keith Breen (brother), Sarah Breen (sister)
• Spouse: Jennifer Beattie (married in 2021)
• Children: N/A
• Relationship status: Married
• Net worth: $4 million

Early Life & Education

Craig Breen, who was 33 years old when he died, was born on February 2, 1990, in Slieverue, a village near Waterford in Ireland.

He was the son of Ray and Noreen Breen, who ran a motor dealership and a rally preparation business. He had a brother, Keith, and a sister, Sarah.

He grew up in a family of motorsport enthusiasts and started karting at eight. He won several national titles in karting and moved to rallycross in 2006.

He also attended De La Salle College in Waterford, where he excelled in academics and sports. He graduated from the college in 2008 and pursued a career in rallying.

Personal Life

Craig Breen married Jennifer Beattie, a Scottish footballer who played for Arsenal and Manchester City.

They met in 2017 and got engaged in 2019. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in Scotland in 2021.

They lived in Andorra, a small country in the Pyrenees mountains, where they enjoyed skiing and hiking.

They had no children but two dogs, Lola and Cooper. Breen was a devout Catholic and a supporter of Liverpool FC.

He was also a fan of music and movies, especially the James Bond franchise. He was close to his family and friends and often visited them in Ireland.

Career

Craig Breen began his rallying career in 2007, driving a Ford Fiesta ST in the Irish Fiesta Sporting Trophy.

He won the series 2008 and competed in the British Rally Championship (BRC) and the Fiesta Sporting Trophy International. In 2009, he switched to a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX and won the Irish Group N Rally Championship.

He also debuted in the WRC, driving a Ford Focus RS WRC in the Rally Ireland. He continued to compete in the BRC and the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in 2010, winning the latter with a Ford Fiesta S2000.

He also participated in selected Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) and the Super 2000 WRC (SWRC) rounds.

In 2011, Breen joined the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team as a junior driver, driving a Ford Fiesta RS WRC in six WRC events. He also competed in the SWRC with a Ford Fiesta S2000, finishing second in the standings.

He also won the WRC Academy, a feeder series for young drivers, with six wins out of six events. He was awarded the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy scholarship and the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Award for his achievements.

In 2012, Breen continued to drive for Ford in the SWRC, winning the title with four victories. He also competed in the IRC with a Peugeot 207 S2000, scoring two podiums.

However, his season was marred by a tragic accident in the Targa Florio Rally in Sicily, where his co-driver and close friend Gareth Roberts was killed when their car hit a guardrail.

The loss deeply affected Breen, but he continued rallying in honor of Roberts. He dedicated his SWRC title to him and wore his helmet in every rally.

In 2013, Breen moved to the European Rally Championship (ERC), driving for Peugeot Rally Academy. He won the Acropolis Rally and finished third in the standings.

He also made a one-off appearance in the WRC, driving a Ford Fiesta RS WRC in the Rally Finland.

He repeated his third place in the ERC in 2014, winning the Circuit of Ireland Rally and the Rallye International du Valais. He also competed in the WRC-2, a support category for the WRC, with a Ford Fiesta R5, scoring two podiums.

In 2015, Breen switched to the Citroën Racing team, driving a Citroën DS3 R5 in the ERC and the WRC-2.

He won the Rally Liepāja and the Circuit of Ireland Rally in the ERC, finishing second in the standings.

He also won the Rallye du Valais and the Rallye du Var in the WRC-2, finishing fourth in the standings. He also debuted in the World Rallycross Championship (WRX), driving a Peugeot 208 WRX in the World RX of Italy.

In 2016, Breen was promoted to the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT, driving a Citroën DS3 WRC in selected WRC events. He scored his first WRC podium in the Rally Finland, finishing third.

He also competed in the WRC-2 with a Citroën DS3 R5, winning the Rally Sweden and the Rally Poland. He also drove a Peugeot 208 T16 R5 in the ERC, winning the Circuit of Ireland Rally and the Rally Isle of Man.

In 2017, Breen continued to drive for Citroën in the WRC, driving a Citroën C3 WRC. He scored four fifth-place finishes and ended the season tenth in the standings.

He also competed in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with a Ford Fiesta R5, winning the Galway International Rally and the Easter Stages Rally.

In 2018, Breen remained with Citroën in the WRC, driving a Citroën C3 WRC. He scored his second WRC podium in the Rally Sweden, finishing second. He also finished fourth in the Rally Mexico and the Rally Finland. He ended the season eighth in the standings.

In 2019, Breen left Citroën and joined the Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT, driving a Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in selected WRC events.

He scored two seventh-place finishes and one sixth-place finish. He also competed in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship with a Ford Fiesta R5, winning the West Cork Rally and the Ulster Rally.

In 2020, Breen continued to drive for Hyundai in the WRC, driving a Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in four events. He scored his third WRC podium in the Rally Estonia, finishing second. He also finished seventh in the Rally Turkey, fourth in the Rally Monza, and fifth in the Ypres Rally Belgium. He ended the season seventh in the standings.

In 2021, Breen drove for Hyundai in the WRC, driving a Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in six events. He scored two fourth-place finishes and one fifth-place finish.

He also competed in the European Rally Championship with a Hyundai i20 R5, winning the Rally di Roma Capitale and the Barum Czech Rally Zlín. He finished the season third in the standings.

In 2022, Breen was confirmed as a full-time driver for Hyundai in the WRC, driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally2.

He scored one podium, one fourth-place finish, and one sixth-place finish in the season’s first three events. He was fourth in the standings before his fatal accident.

Death

Craig Breen died on April 13, 2023, at the age of 33, in a testing accident near Zagreb, Croatia. He was preparing for the 2023 Croatia Rally, the fourth round of the WRC season, when his Hyundai i20 N Rally2 crashed into a tree at high speed. He suffered severe head and chest injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

His co-driver, Paul Nagle, survived the crash with minor injuries. The cause of the accident was under investigation by the FIA and the local authorities.

Breen’s death shocked and saddened the motorsport community, who paid tribute to him as one of his generation’s best and most popular drivers. His funeral was held in his hometown of Slieverue, where he was buried next to his co-driver Gareth Roberts.

Controversy

Craig Breen was involved in a controversy in 2018 when he was penalized for hitting a chicane during the Rally Sweden.

He was initially given a 10-second penalty, which was later increased to 22 seconds after a protest from the Toyota team.

Social Media

• Instagram handle: N/A
• Twitter handle: N/A

Net Worth

According to various sources, Craig Breen had an estimated net worth of $4 million.

He earned his wealth from his successful career as a rally driver and his endorsements and sponsorships.

He was sponsored by Hyundai, Michelin, Sparco, Bell Helmets, and Red Bull.

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