Dubai: Swiss rider Pascal Grosjean died in a collision at the Autodrome
Motorsport Club (DAMC) on Friday during the UAE Sportsbike Championship,
plunging the motorsport fraternity into sadness and shock.
Another rider Tony Jordan of Britain is in the intensive care unit Rashid
Hospital.
The accident occurred at 2 pm after the 12-lap race for sportsbikes on the
slowdown lap about 300 metres after the finsih line straight, according to a
DAMC statement.
Grosjean who had just been given the chequered flag for winning the race
collided with Jordan who was in the third place and both riders were injured on
the track.
Medical teams were immediately dispatched to the scene whereupon both riders
were treated and stabilised, the DAMC said. Grosjean was airlifted to Rashid
Hospital from the track while Jordan was taken to the Dubai Autodrome medical
centre before being taken to Rashid Hospital by ambulance.
Reports from the hospital indicated that both riders were in a serious condition
and a few hours later the passing away of Grosjean was announced. Jordan remains in intensive care, the DAMC statement said.
"The Dubai Autodrome team and the motorsport community of the UAE are deeply
saddened by the enormous loss and pass on our sincere condolences to Pascal
Grosjean’s family and friends. Pascal was a multiple UAE champion who was well
respected in motorsport and motorcycle community," Hamish Brown, General
Executive of Dubai Autodrome said,
"Our thoughts and prayers are very much with Tony and his family at this time.
We wish him all the best and recovery during this critical period."
The Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) has launched a full enquiry into the circumstances of the accident.
