Barring a miracle, Fidel Castillo Ruiz‘s hopes of winning the 2024 FIA European Baja Cup seem to be over. On Tuesday, he confirmed that due to the broken collarbone he suffered at the Hungarian Baja, he will not be able to run this weekend’s Baja TT Sharish Gin.
Castillo suffered a proximal collarbone fracture and pulmonary contusion when his Can-Am Maverick X3 rolled during the third Selective Section of last month’s Hungarian Baja. František Brutovský broke his vertebra in a separate rollover that same leg, which prompted Martin Koloc to withdraw out of safety concern. The pulmonary contusion, initially diagnosed as a collapsed lung, prevented him from being flown back to Spain, and he had to be taken back via ground ambulance. Castillo underwent treatment at Clínica Cemtro in Madrid.
Although his health improved in the month since, he was not cleared by doctors to take part in the Baja TT Sharish Gin in neighbouring Portugal. His chances at the European Baja Cup’s outright title were dashed by his Hungary retirement, which dropped him from second to sixth in points with 75 points to João Ferreira‘s 128. He remains mathematically eligible for the SSV championship as he sits third there and trails Miquel Prat by twenty-five points. However, with Prat and second-placed Tomasz Białkowski both racing at Reguengos, it is unlikely Castillo will catch up unless both of them retire.
“Due to my recovery from the accident in Hungary and not having medical clearance yet, I won’t be able to participate in this year’s Baja TT Sharish Gin,” begins a statement from Castillo. “Fortunately, everything is going as expected, and I’ll be back on the Can-Am soon.
“It’s a shame, as I was competing for the European Championship title, but now I need to focus on my health and put all my energy into an exciting new project that I’ll be announcing soon.
“A big thank to everyone who ask for me daily.”
Driving for Ahúja Racing, Castillo began the European Baja Cup season by finishing runner-up in SSV at the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura in May. He won the class at the Italian Baja in July to take the SSV points lead going into Hungary.
While his focus remains on SSVs, he dabbled in the premier Ultimate category for the first time in June when he tested Past-Racing’s Ford Ranger T1+ in Morocco. Pau Navarro, a fellow Spaniard and SSV regular, announced Monday that he will drive the Ranger at the 2025 Dakar Rally.
The European Baja Cup season ends with the Baja Troia Türkiye on 7–9 November.