Rally driver Francisco Martorelli shared a devastating farewell to his wife, and the daughter of one of Argentina’s most well-known racing drivers, who was killed in a horror car crash
Rally driver Francisco Martorelli has shared a heartbreaking farewell to his wife after she was killed in a horror crash that also claimed the lives of three other doctors in Argentina.
The tragedy happened on Route 76 near Abra de la Ventana, in Tornquist, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on 3rd May. Talia Araceli Mansilla, 29, was travelling in a Citroen C3 with four other doctors when it crashed head-on with a Ford Focus.
Talia, who worked as a doctor at the Favaloro Foundation, was the daughter of former racing driver Enrique “Quique” Mansilla. She was also the sister of Porsche Carrera Cup driver Dorian Mansilla and the wife of rally driver Martorelli.
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Martorelli wrote on social media: “I start writing this on the worst journey of my life, after the call I never imagined receiving, after they gave me the worst news of my life.
“The person I love most, my companion in everything, the love of my life, is no longer here. I still cannot believe it and I doubt I will ever understand why this happened.”
Martorelli said Talia had been the person who was always there for him and who would “go crazy” trying to fulfil every wish.
He added: “I am going to miss those ‘I love you’ messages at any moment of the day, that kiss in the morning before you went to the hospital to wake me up, to tell me you were leaving and say you loved me.
“I always told you, but here it goes once more and it will not be the last. You were, you are and you always will be the love of my life.”
Martorelli said the couple had been left with unfinished plans, trips and even dreams of having their own family. He wrote: “More than 10 years of knowing each other and we did not get to live even a little bit of everything we wanted together. I will love you today and forever.”
The crash happened when the Citroen was travelling from Tornquist towards Sierra de la Ventana after the group had reportedly been returning from a party at an estate.
A preliminary reconstruction said the driver lost control while entering a bend, possibly while travelling faster than recommended. The car went onto the right-hand verge before crossing into the opposite lane as it tried to return to the road. It was then hit head-on by the Ford Focus, which was travelling in the opposite direction.
Talía died at the scene alongside Maria de los Milagros Chirinos, 28, Ezequiel Agustin Quaglio, 31, and Laura Camila Diaz Sandoval, 26. The Citroen driver, Juan Ignacio Daulerio, 28, survived and was taken to Alberto Castro Municipal Hospital.
Griselda Buchanan and Alejandro Daniel Prezzi, both 47, who were travelling in the Ford Focus, suffered fractures but were reported to be out of danger.
Enrique Mansilla, 68, was one of Argentina’s best-known racing drivers and famously competed against Ayrton Senna in British Formula Ford 1600.
The Argentine Drivers’ Association said in a statement that it was standing with Enrique and his family following the death of his daughter. Firefighters, police, civil defence workers and traffic officials worked at the crash scene for several hours while forensic police carried out investigations.