Motorsport officials and police are continuing investigations into an accident which killed a Welsh co-driver and injured his driver in Scotland on Saturday.
The Jim Clark Rally is a round of the keenly contested Probite British Rally Championship and based around the F1 legend’s home town of Duns was cancelled after the Hyundai i20 Rally2 car of Newcastle Emlyn driver James Williams and navigator Dai Roberts, who had sat-in for regular co-driver Ross Whittock, crashed at high speed.
Carmarthen’s Roberts, aged 39, died at the scene and Williams was taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries.
Police closed the Edrom Mains road following the single-vehicle crash on Saturday. Emergency services attended and the co-driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene.
Williams, aged 27-years, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. It was his second crash of the season following another accident in Spain in April.
Superintendent Vincent Fisher said, “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
In another statement, Motorsport UK sent its condolences to Dai’s family and friends, the Jim Clark Rally, Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club and members of the motorsport community.
“Motorsport UK has initiated a full investigation into the circumstances of the incident and will work closely with the Jim Clark Rally event organisers and Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club and will cooperate with the relevant authorities.”
In 2014, Roberts was injured in a crash while taking part in the Ulster Rally and went to hospital.
He was airlifted to hospital in Belfast after the crash which killed his 20-year-old driver Timothy Cathcart.
It is the second tragedy to hit the Roberts family which is deeply rooted in rallying as his brother, Gareth, died in a rally crash in Sicily in June 2012.
© Image James Williams Rallying
