A rallying prodigy has been killed in a fatal crash, it has been confirmed. The European Rally Championship (ERC) confirmed that Matteo Doretto had lost his life in an accident while testing, aged just 21.

The Italian driver was killed during a test in Poland when he lost control of his car and hit a tree at the side of the road. Reports described the impact as "very violent" and images of the destroyed car show extensive damage to the driver's side, where Doretto would have been sat.

The Italian racer was pronounced dead by a doctor at the scene of the crash, after firefighters had extracted his body from the wreckage. Co-driver Samuele Pellegrino suffered no major injuries but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Doretto was taking part in the test to prepare for the Rally of Poland, which is scheduled to take place this weekend. It forms part of the European Rally Championship in which former racer , father of four-time F1 champion , competes.

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The 21-year-old was in the midst of his first ERC season, having landed a seat by winning the Italian junior title last year. "With potential in abundance, Matteo was polite, engaging but, above all, modest," the ERC said in a tribute statement.

"To all of Matteo's family and friends, his co-drivers Andrea Budoia and Samuele Pellegrino, the MS Munaretto team and all who had got to know Matteo during his all-too-short time in the ERC, the FIA European Rally Championship family extends its deepest sympathies."

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Terenzio Testoni, a manager for tyre supplier Pirelli, said: "His loss is a tragedy that deeply saddens us. On behalf of Pirelli, I would like to extend our most heartfelt and sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Just three weeks before his death on Wednesday, Doretto had finished third in the junior category at Rally Hungary. He was a member of the ACI Team Italia driver development programme and seemed to have a big future ahead of him in the motorsport .

The ERC said: "Despite the enormity of his achievement in Hungary, when he finished in third position in the young driver category, Matteo used his post-rally summing up to outline his desire to become even more competitive on gravel, while also looking ahead to his home event, next month's Rally di Roma Capitale."

Doretto was born and raised near Venice in north-east Italy, to parents Michele and Barbara who were also rally drivers. He is survived by his mother, father and girlfriend, Melissa.