Klaus Rader, the co-founder of the L’Osteria restaurant chain, has died in an accident during the 550 Challenge Mallorca rally. The incident occurred on Friday when Rader, 63, was participating in the competition with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and veered off the road in a mountain pass between Pollença and Lluc, falling into a ravine.
Rader lost his life at the scene, while his co-driver, Christina Ettel, sustained serious spinal injuries. Rescue teams and firefighters had to descend into the difficult area of the Serra de Tramuntana to recover the victims.
The 550 Challenge Mallorca is a motorsport event that takes place on completely closed roads, lasting three days and featuring 14 timed stages that total over 550 kilometers. Rader was driving vehicle number 000, which was used to inspect the stages before the regular competitors made their rounds.
A business associate confirmed the accident to a German newspaper, and L’Osteria publicly announced Rader’s death in an official statement. ‘The sudden accidental death of Klaus Rader deeply moves us and leaves us speechless. We are infinitely sad and our thoughts are with his whole family,’ the company stated.
Following the tragedy experienced in the Pollença-Lluc stage, the rally organizers immediately canceled the rest of the competition and all related activities. In an official communication, the organizing team expressed their sorrow and stated that the decision was firm and irrevocably necessary.
‘In moments like these, no result, ranking, or sporting objective can take priority over what really matters. Competition must take a back seat to give way to respect, humanity, and solidarity,’ the organizers affirmed.
The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, and Spanish authorities are investigating the events. Rader co-founded L’Osteria in 1999 with Friedemann Findeis and had expanded the chain internationally after selling his majority stake to an American investment firm in 2023. Rader leaves behind his wife Viktoria and their four children, following a second marriage celebrated in Mallorca in June 2026.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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