After the event, the stewards decided to disqualify Turkish driver Can Alakoc. It turned out that the 16-year-old had competed in the rally without holding a valid driving licence.
What makes the case even more peculiar is that Alakoc had already completed several stages before the issue was noticed. Naturally, one would assume that it would not even be possible to register for a rally without presenting a valid driving licence.
Due to the incident, the stewards heard Alakoc, his Latvian co-driver Ivo Pukis, team representative Uldis Briedis, and team member Oscar Varela on Sunday. All were members of car number 75.
Co-driver Pukis apologised for the incident. In his defence, he stated that he had assumed a valid licence was not required, as the Sierra Morena Rally is part of the national championship.
Pukis also said that the duo had previously competed in national events. Alakoc has indeed competed in the Finnish Rally Championship, having taken part in the Kuopio Rally, the Arctic Rally Finland, and most recently the Savonlinna Rally in March.
After hearing all parties, the stewards concluded that a valid driving licence is an absolute requirement for participating in the rally. Its absence was deemed a breach worthy of disqualification.
