Moscow Raceway (Russia), Sunday 21 July 2013 – During today’s FIM World Supersport race, at 1.32pm Italian rider Andrea Antonelli (Team Goeleven Kawasaki) suffered a serious accident on the straight between Turn 14 and Turn 15 wherein he sustained critical injuries. The race was stopped with the red flag and the rider was immediately taken to an ambulance where the medical staff worked to resuscitate him. Despite their efforts, Andrea sadly succumbed to his injuries at 2.10pm local time. FIM, Dorna and YMS Promotion decided to cancel all activities scheduled for the rest of the day. Everyone involved in motorcycle championships extends its deepest condolences to Andrea’s family, friends, team and Italian Federation at this tragic loss. More, from a press release issued by PTR Honda: Moscow WSS cancelled THE eighth round of the World Supersport Championship at Moscow Raceway in Russia has been cancelled. Italian Andrea Antonelli was sadly killed in an horrific accident early in the WSS race after being hit by another rider. Simon Buckmaster, PTR Honda Team Manager: “Cancelling the event was the right thing to do in the circumstances. Our condolences go to the family and friends of Andrea Antonelli.” PTR Honda will be racing again at the ninth round of the World Supersport Championship at Silverstone in the UK on August 4th. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: It is a sad Sunday for the FIM Superbike World Championship. The Russian round at “Moscow Raceway” is overshadowed by a fatal accident in the World Supersport race. The whole BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team sends its sincere condolences to the family and the team of Italian rider Andrea Antonelli, who died this afternoon in a tragic crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in these difficult times. This devastating news has made the sporting aspects secondary. After the incident, it was decided to cancel the activities scheduled for the rest of the day. In the first scheduled race of the Superbike class, which was held before, BMW factory riders Marco Melandri (ITA) and Chaz Davies (GBR) had finished first and second. More, from a press release issued by FIXI Crescent Suzuki: With respect to Andrea Antonelli FIXI Crescent Suzuki wishes to pay its respects to World Supersport rider Andrea Antonelli, who succumbed to the injuries he sustained at the start of today’s race. Our Team and riders send their deepest sympathies to his family, friends and his GoEleven team. Andrea Antonelli, 18-01-1988 – 21-07-2013 More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: The Althea Racing Team wishes to extend its deepest condolences to Andrea Antonelli’s family, whose son passed away today during World Supersport’s race at Moscow Raceway. Andrea was an exceptional rider, who raced in Superstock 1000 with the Althea team in 2008. The team will remember him forever as an humble and joyful boy. As this type of tragic happenings take place, there’s no reason to speak about races or results. More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda Superbike Team: Andrea Antonelli During this afternoon’s World Supersport championship race at Moscow Raceway in Russia, Italian rider Andrea Antonelli was involved in a crash at the end of the opening lap. Antonelli, 25, sustained injuries in the crash which, in spite of rapid medical intervention, sadly proved to be fatal. The remainder of the Moscow Raceway World Superbike and World Supersport programme was subsequently cancelled. The Pata Honda team extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends and team of Andrea. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Kawasaki Sends Condolences To The Family And Friends Of Andrea Antonelli WSS, Moscow, Russia, 21 July 2013 During the eventually abandoned FIM Supersport World Championship race at Moscow Raceway today, Team Goeleven Kawasaki Rider Andrea Antonelli was involved in an accident and suffered terminal injury. He crashed on the longest straight and after a collision with another rider’s machine he suffered a fatal cranium base fracture. Andrea was 25-years old, from Castiglione del Lago in Italy. All in the Kawasaki family and the wider paddock are shocked and saddened by this event and we want to extend our deepest condolences to Andrea’s family, his friends and to all in Team Goeleven after this tragic loss. After the accident all on-track sporting activity was cancelled as a mark of respect. More, from a press release issued by Team SBK Ducati Alstare: Badovini and Team SBK Ducati Alstare achieve first podium with the Panigale in today’s SBK race in Moscow. Race 2 cancelled due to the serious accident in Supersport that cost rider Antonelli his life Moscow (Russia), Sunday 21 July 2013: Ayrton Badovini and Team SBK Ducati Alstare scored their first podium of the 2013 World Superbike season in a very wet race 1 today at Russia’s Moscow Raceway. The very serious accident during the Supersport race, in which rider Andrea Antonelli tragically lost his life, affected the entire paddock and, considering also the flooded track, Race Direction rightly decided to cancel the second Superbike race. Race 1 – in dry conditions (air temperature 15°C, track 16°C), Ayrton started well from fourteenth on the grid, positioning himself twelfth after the first laps. By lap six it had begun to rain in every sector of the track but Ayrton, with a strong pace despite the increasingly difficult conditions, began to push to reach and then pass Camier, Neukirchner and Guintoli. Five laps from the end of the race, the leading pack of riders, including Badovini, all chose to make a pit-stop, changing to rain tyres in response to the worsening conditions. Returning to the track in fourth position, thanks to a very efficient pit-stop on the part of his technicians, the young Italian rider didn’t hold back, lapping significantly faster than anyone else on track. He caught and passed Rea in the space of just two laps to move into third, a position that he then held until the chequered flag. Carlos started from the second row but unfortunately, trapped in the middle of traffic through the first turns, the Ducati Alstare rider was hit by Cluzel, causing them both to crash out. Unfortunately Carlos could not continue with the race. Ayrton Badovini: “Today was an important day for me, having achieved my first podium with team Ducati Alstare, and the first for the Panigale in this championship. The race was really hard and conditions were difficult. We knew we’d have good pace if it were wet and everything went as I had hoped. My guys did a fantastic job, my pit-stop was really fast and, back on track, I was really able to push. I’m sorry Francis was unable to be here with us this weekend but above all I am sorry for the accident in Supersport and for the tragedy involving Antonelli. It’s impossible to revel in a podium finish when something of this magnitude happens.” Carlos Checa: “It was a day to forget, mainly due to what happened in Supersport and the tragic passing of Antonelli. To talk about my race almost seems superfluous, and I want to send my condolences to his family, what a terrible tragic accident. Getting back to race 1, I found myself in the air without knowing why; I had already worked out how I wanted to enter the turn when Cluzel hit me. There was nothing I could do, and I found myself in the gravel, hitting my head hard again. After the race I went to get checked over in the Clinica Mobile, because I had cut my right arm. There the doctors realized that I was having problems focusing, some blurred vision, and then I also suffered some nausea, so very probably I wouldn’t have been able to participate in race 2.” Ernesto Marinelli, Ducati Superbike project manager: “You can’t celebrate a podium when the paddock has suffered such a loss. The thoughts of everyone in Ducati and Team Alstare are with Andrea’s family, team and everyone that knew him. Analysing race 1, Ayrton’s podium was a very important result both for the team and for Ducati. He rode very well in dry conditions and even better when the track was wet. Unfortunately, once more, bad luck prevented Carlos from finishing what started out as a very positive weekend. The results in practice combined with Ayrton’s race nevertheless represent a step forward in the important work that the riders, the entire team and Ducati’s development team are carrying out in order for us to return to the highest level.”