Rossi leads tributes to tragic Tomizawa

World champion Valentino Rossi led emotional tributes to Shoya Tomizawa, the Japanese rider killed at San Marino, describing the teenager as a very good rider with a great future ahead of him.

The 19-year-old Tomizawa died from injuries sustained in a crash here on Sunday.

“Shoya Tomizawa was a very good rider. He was funny, always smiling with a kind word for everyone. He was also very young, with a great career ahead of him,” said Rossi.

“My result today is of no importance when you consider what has happened,” added the great Italian, who was third in the showcase MotoGP race behind Spain’s Dani Pedrosa. “I saw the crash on TV and it was terrifying. I thought he was dead. I am very sorry but then we had to race and try and concentrate.”

Tomizawa came off his Suter bike when under pressure from the fast charging Italian Alex de Angelis in the Moto2 race, the second tier competition of the world championship.

Neither de Angelis nor British rider Scott Redding were able to avoid hitting the teenager, who was propelled over 40 metres and off the track into the gravel.

Tomizawa was taken to hospital 30 kilometres away in Riccione but was later pronounced dead.

AFP