Antonio Boto, the co-driver with whom Carlos Sainz made the jump to the World Cup, has passed away. After a long fight against the disease, his life in Tarragona, where he had resided for a long time, has ended. A heavy blow to motorsport, where he was one of the most loved characters for his kindness and sympathy.
Boto joined Sainz in 1984, when he was still competing with the Renault 5 Turbo of the Madrid Network. The following year they became officers of the diamond brand, with which they achieved two runners-up in Spain before signing with Ford. It was with the signing of the oval that they made the leap to the World Cup, surprising everyone on their debut in Portugal in 1987, where they won the first section and were placed leaders in their debut in the maximum contest. That year they also competed in Corsica and the British RAC and were proclaimed champions of Spain.
It was the last season that they competed together, since Boto was appointed sports director of the Opel Spain team, where he remained for several seasons. In recent times he was a regular at historic rallies until illness prevented him from going to his world, the world of rallying. A family that is in mourning for having lost one of its greatest components. Rest in peace.