Tributes flow for Tomizawa
ByReuters
Updated 06/09/2010 at 07:03 GMT
Suter Racing were "completely shattered" at the death of Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa in Sunday's Moto2 race at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Suter rider Shoya Tomizawa of Japan celebrates on the podium after winning the Moto2 race during the Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail international circuit in Doha April 11, 2010
Image credit: Reuters
Tomizawa, 19, was travelling at full speed when he fell before a corner. Fellow riders Alex de Angelis and Scott Redding crashed into him, but although both tumbled they 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 Chief Executive Eskil Suter said.
"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," 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."
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.
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