Andreas Perez, a 14-year-old motorcycle rider competing on the Moto3 circuit, died from injuries he suffered in a crash during a race in suburban Barcelona on Sunday.
“Andreas Perez was admitted to hospital with very serious brain damage and soon afterward he was diagnosed with brain death,” Reale Avintia Racing, his team, said in a statement obtained by Motorsport.com.
“Even though his heart continued to beat and despite many efforts, the doctors could do nothing to save his life. Andreas could not win this race.
“It has been very tough hours for all the members of the Reale Avintia Academy team, who were with the family from the first moment in these complicated moments.
“We have lost a great rider, but above all a great person and we will miss him a lot. The team and all its sponsors wish to send all the support to Andreas’ family in this very difficult moment.”
Perez and a number of other riders were involved in the crash on Turn 5 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He was taken by helicopter to Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona with brain injuries.
Spanish NBA star Pau Gasol was among the mourners on social media:
Sunday’s crash was the third in three years at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to result in a fatality. In 2016, Moto2 rider Luis Salom was killed after crashing on Turn 13 during practice, leading track officials to alter the course’s layout to reduce speeds at the site of the crash. Last year, Enric Sauri lost his life when he ran off the course at the first corner and slammed into a barrier wall during the 24 Hours of Catalunya endurance race.
Perez’s Instagram was flooded with condolences Monday morning as news of his death spread:
Perez won twice and finished fourth overall on the European Talent Cup circuit before moving to the Moto3 Junior World Championships this year.
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