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MotoGP world mourns demise of Japanese rider

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-07 09:11

TOKYO - Suter Racing was "completely shattered" at the death of 19-year-old rider Shoya Tomizawa in Sunday's Moto2 race at the San Marino Grand Prix.

This file photo taken on July 2 shows Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa during the Moto 2 first practice session of the Catalunya Grand Prix at the Catalunya race track in Montmelo, near Barcelona. Tomizawa died from injuries sustained in a crash in the San Marino Moto2 Grand Prix on Sunday. The 19-year-old Technomag-CIP rider came off his Suter bike when under pressure from the fast-charging Italian Alex de Angelis. [Agencies]

Tomizawa was traveling at full speed when he fell before a corner and was smashed into by Alex de Angelis and Scott Redding, who both also tumbled but escaped serious injury.

The Japanese rider died from severe chest injuries after being rushed to a local hospital.

"Shoya was more than a friend. He was like a family member," Suter Racing's CEO Eskil Suter said in a statement.

"He was loved by everybody in the paddock and I am terribly sorry for his family and his team who suffered this tragic loss."

Suter insisted de Angelis and Redding had no chance of avoiding impact with Tomizawa.

"I also feel sorry for De Angelis and our rider Scott Redding," Suter said. "After the initial suspicion of a fractured pelvis, Scott was cleared of serious injuries.

"But mentally he is completely shattered even though nothing that happened was his fault. Today was a sad reminder that racing remains dangerous despite all improvements in track safety."

Riders in the premier MotoGP class were informed after their race, won by Dani Pedrosa.

"When things like this happen, nothing else matters," said world champion Valentino Rossi. "Shoya was a lovely guy. It was a horrible accident."

A 13-year-old also died in a minor race before the Indianapolis MotoGP in the sport's last grand prix in August.

Rossi, who broke a leg in an accident before the Italian Grand Prix in June, led riders in a tribute to dead Japanese colleague Daijiro Kato earlier in the week.

Kato died after an accident at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2003.

Motorcycling has always been among motorsport's most dangerous pursuits, given riders are often thrown from their bikes and run the risk of hitting objects or being struck by other riders.

"You forget sometimes how easily something like this can happen. Sometimes our sport is just too dangerous," MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso said.

Moto2, the new name for the former 250cc category below MotoGP, still generates huge speeds and officials said they decided to continue with the race after the crash because of the fear of other accidents if a red flag was suddenly shown.