Australian motor sport legend Peter Brock has died aged 61, Australian Sky News has reported.

The Age has reported that Brock, who was competing in the second day of the Targa West rally, died when his Daytona Coupe hit a tree at around 12 pm in the small town of Gidgegannup in Western Australia. His partner, Mick Hone, was taken to hospital in a stable condition, he apparently has broken ribs.

Brock, 61, was competing in the three-day Targa West rally near Perth when he appeared to lose control of his high-powered Daytona Coupe in bushland and smashed side-on into a tree.

The accident occurred in wet conditions near the small community of Gidgegannup, about 40km north-east of Perth, hours after the start of the rally.

Brock was one of Australian motorsport’s most significant figures, having won the Bathurst 1000 nine times. His death comes only days after the death of fellow Australian celebrity Steve Irwin.

“It’s been a pretty sad week for Australia … and Brocky will be very sadly missed,” Prime Minister John Howard said.

Brock’s girlfriend Julie Bamford told Fairfax: “It’s surreal. He’s such a gorgeous guy.”

The editor of Wheels magazine, Jed Bulmer, says Peter Brock was the consummate driving professional who won many accolades, but will best be remembered for his mastery of the race circuit at Bathurst.

“You know the great Australian touring car race and a race which is regarded as one of the most difficult touring car races in the world and Peter was the nine-times winner there at what is known these days as the Bathurst 1000,” he told ABC radio.

“He had a long and very successful career there, he was the ‘King of the Mountain’ as he came to be known.”

Peter Brock Career Highlights:

Bathurst 1000: 9 wins (record) (1972, 75, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 87)
Australian Touring Car Champion: 3 times winner (1974, 78, 80) 5 times runner-up (73, 79, 81, 84, 90)
Sandown 500: 9 wins (73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84)
Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) wins: 37 from 209 starts (record) (1972-1997)
ATCC Debut: Calder 1972
First ATCC win: Surfers Paradise 1973 (Holden Torana)
Last ATCC win: Wanneroo 1997 (Holden Commodore VS)
V8 Supercars Hall of Fame inductee: 2001