Marek Sýkora’s quest for the 2024 FIA World Baja Cup was cut short with two races remaining when he suffered a heart attack shortly before the Jordan Baja.

Speaking to Tibor Szabosi of Autosportfoto.sk, Sýkora explained he started feeling sick upon arriving in Jordan. He assumed he was just tired, but it turned out to be a myocardial infarction so he had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery. While the procedure was successful, he was obviously unable to race the Jordan Baja, prompting his driver Miroslav Zapletal to ask Marcin Pasek to be his substitute navigator. Despite the circumstances, Zapletal and Pasek went on to finish fourth overall and win the Ultimate class.

The World Baja Cup ended two weeks later with the Dubai International Baja. Since Sýkora was still recuperating, Zapletal had Maciej Marton as his co-driver; the duo finished fifth in T1 and seventh outright.

“This was obviously not how Miro and I planned things,” Sýkora told Autosportfoto. “We were really looking forward to the last two races and going for the title together, but no matter how you make up your mind, life can change and that was how it was in our case-or rather, in mine.

“Fortunately, everything worked out and I am still recovering. I’m still going to the doctors for examinations, so I have no idea what the final verdict will be. For now, I’m not allowed to get back in a race car but I’m doing everything I can to do so. I hope that everything will go well and my racing career can continue.”

Sýkora had to watch from the sideline as Filipe Palmeiro won the World Baja Cup for Ultimate co-drivers, though he still settled for runner-up. Zapletal also finished second in the driver’s championship behind Palmeiro’s partner João Ferreira.

Jordan was Zapletal’s lone WBC win of 2024 after he and Sýkora recorded a string of seconds at Baja Greece, Baja Poland, and Qatar International Baja. The pair also competed in the Hungarian Cross-Country Rally Championship.

Given the circumstances, the team does not plan to run the Dakar Rally or Africa Eco Race in 2025.

Featured image credit: Charly Lopez / ASO