Japanese motorcyclist Shoya Tomizawa died of injuries sustained in a crash on Sunday at the San Marino Moto2 Grand Prix. He was 19 years old.
Racing in fourth place at the time, Tomizawa lost control on a kerb coming out of a turn in the 12th lap of the race on the Misano World Circuit. He fell and was run over at high speed by the next two riders, Italy's Alex de Angelis and Scott Redding of Britain, dpa reported.
Tomizawa was taken to hospital but died there of the crash injuries.
"Shoya Tomizawa suffered a serious crash and subsequent cranial, thoracic and abdominal trauma. Tomizawa was taken to the hospital of Riccione for immediate treatment but succumbed to his injuries at 14.20 (local time - 1220 GMT)," said a statement from the race directors on the MotoGP website.
"All the MotoGP family wants to express its deepest condolences to his family and friends," the statement said.
Tomizawa competed for the Suter team and got his only world championship race win in the season-opener of the newly-formed Moto2 class (formerly 250cc) in Qatar. He came second at the following race in Spain and was ranked sixth in the standings ahead of Sunday's race.
De Angelis reportedly walked away unharmed while Redding required treatment on so far undisclosed injuries at the circuit.
Tomizawa is the first rider to die in MotoGP racing since compatriot Daijiro Kato at the Suzuka home race in 2003. The previous race fatality was also a Japanese, Noboyuki Wakai, at the 1993 Spanish GP in Jerez.
Last weekend American Peter Lenz, 13, died in Indianapolis when he was run over by a 12-year-old rival after falling in the warmup lap for a junior race.