Japanese Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa dies after San Marino crash
<FIGURE> <FIGCAPTION>Shoya Tomizawa has died after a crash at the San Marino grand prix. Photograph: Petr Josek/Reuters</FIGCAPTION> </FIGURE>
Shoya Tomizawa, the Japanese Moto2 rider, has died after a crash during the San Marino grand prix, according to Dr Claudio Costa, who is part of the Motorcycling world championship's medical team.
Riders in the premier MotoGP class were informed after their race.
"I found out now, when things like this happen nothing else matters," the MotoGP world champion, Valentino Rossi, told Mediaset television. "He was a lovely guy, it was a horrible accident."
Suter's Tomizawa was travelling at full speed when he fell off before a corner and was hit violently by the bikes of Alex De Angelis and Scott Redding, who both also tumbled but looked relatively unhurt.
"You forget sometimes how easily something like this can happen. Sometimes our sport is just too dangerous," the MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso said.
Moto2, the new name for the former 250cc category below MotoGP, 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.
They added that Tomizawa was alive when he was taken from the track and rushed to a local hospital on Italy's east coast. He was pronounced dead soon after.
The official news of his death had not filtered through before the start of the MotoGP race, so the event went ahead.
Rossi, who suffered a broken leg in an accident before the Italian grand prix in June, led riders in a tribute to another dead Japanese colleague Daijiro Kato earlier in the week in a ceremony at Misano.
Kato, who lived in the Misano area, died after an accident at the Japanese grand prix in 2003.
Rossi has worked hard with other riders to try to make the sport safer but has said there is a limit to how much they can do.
From Motogp.com
Thoughts are with his friends and family.
Absolutely tragic news. Very sad.
If anyone wants to see what happened you can view this link, but beware that it's painful to watch as a biker...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U_kot-jtQ8
More from Motogp.com
On Sunday 5th September during the Moto2 race at the Misano World Circuit, rider Shoya Tomizawa aged 19 suffered a serious crash and subsequent cranial, thoracic and abdominal trauma.
Given the seriousness of his condition - especially for the thoracic and abdominal trauma - Tomizawa was immediately treated at the Misano World Circuit medical centre and put under artificial respiration.
The rider was taken by ambulance to the Riccione hospital accompanied by two doctors - helicopter was not used in order to allow for the proper respiratory support to be administered. Despite various attempts to resuscitate him Shoya sadly succumbed to his injuries at 14.20.
Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Shoya’s family and friends at this tragic loss.
I'm glad the clips gone. It was horrible to watch once. Reminds me too much of the Craig Jones incident at Brands. Its sad to hear of the loss of another rider. But he died doing what he liked doing best. My thoughts are with his family at this sad time
RIP Shoya
i have to say that in order to make racing and moto gp more exciting they got rid of 125's for this moto 2 class and i find really nerve racking to watch as they seam to fly round like they are riding 125's but doing nearlly moto gp speeds i supose it was inevitable that somthing like this would happen i just hope it wasnt the cause of this fatal accident ?
Wheely - it was the 250's that was axed for the Moto2. The 125's are still there (for the moment).
The crash was caused as Tomizawa went wide on a 135 mph corner, he hit the kerb & went onto the grass which then flipped him back onto the track. He was then hit by the 2 riders behind him.
Valentino Rossi leads tributes to rider Shoya Tomizawa Tomizawa was in only his second season of MotoGP Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has led the tributes to rider Shoya Tomizawa, who died in Sunday's Moto2 race in San Marino.
"When something so sad like this happens everything else goes to zero - the result doesn't matter," said Rossi.
Tomizawa used bike manufacturer Suter Racing and chief executive Eskil Suter said the rider was extremely popular.
"Shoya was more than a friend. He was like a family member. He was loved by everybody in the paddock," he said.
"I am terribly sorry for his family and his team who suffered this tragic loss."
I'm so sorry for Shoya because he was a strong rider but above all he was very 'sympatico' - he was very funny, always smiling and he always had nice things to say to everyone
Tomizawa died after coming off his bike at the Misano circuit while under pressure from Italy's Alex de Angelis.
Neither De Angelis nor British rider Scott Redding - who like Tomizawa was riding a Suter motorbike - were able to avoid hitting the 19-year-old Japanese.
Eskil Suter insisted de Angelis and Redding, who both also came off their bikes, had no chance of missing Tomizawa.
"I also feel sorry for De Angelis and our rider Scott Redding," said Suter. "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."
Tomizawa, who rode for the Technomag-CIP team, had completed 15 laps of the Misano circuit before the accident, which happened in dry conditions.
He was treated at the circuit before being taken to the Riccione Hospital on the Adriatic coast where he died.
Tomizawa was in only his second season in the MotoGP world championships and won the Moto2 race at the Qatar Grand Prix, which opened the new season.
He had been in seventh position in the overall standings prior to Sunday's race, which was eventually won by Spain's Toni Elias.
Racing legend Rossi added: "I'm so sorry for Shoya because he was a strong rider but above all he was very 'sympatico'.
"He was very funny, always smiling and he always had nice things to say to everyone.
"He was also very young with a great career ahead of him so we are all very sad."
Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, who finished fourth in the top class, said: "It's a huge pity because he was a good guy and a strong rider.
"I am so sad and I just want to say how sorry I am for his family and his friends. When this happens nothing else matters."
Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal, who also runs a team in the Moto2 series, said: "On behalf of everyone at Tech 3 Yamaha, I'd like to send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Shoya Tomizawa.
"He was a great talent and a really good guy who will be missed by all of us in the racing community."
Tomizawa was the first rider to be killed during a Grand Prix weekend since compatriot Daijiro Kato died after a crash in the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Tomizawa had taken to wearing a tribute to Kato on the left shoulder of his leathers.
RIP Shoya. Another potential world champion lost, following the fatal accident of outstanding 13 year old Peter Letz last week at Indianapolis in the 250 support race. Colin Edwards was his mentor and understandably took it really bad, which I reckon was his main reason for retirement in the Moto GP race. Both lads had incredible talent. Shoya was the first ever winner of the Moto2 class.
The track marshals are now facing manslaughter charges, over the death of Shoya. I have to say it was scary when I watched them drop him off the stretcher, and thought it was appalling at the time.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/Gene...awa-death/
I must admit the marshals were a bit heavy handed just shoving Shoya & Scott onto the stretchers immediately!
Most places stablilize injured riders first before moving them & red flag the race if needed - I was incredibly shocked that this didn't happen in this instance!
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