'nothing Anyone Could Do' To Prevent Fatal Crash

Motorbike racer Morgan McLaren-Wood, who was injured successful nan clang which killed 2 chap riders connected Monday, says "there was thing anyone could do" to forestall nan tragedy.

England's Owen Jenner, 21, and New Zealander Shane Richardson, 29, were fatally injured erstwhile 11 riders collapsed during nan British Supersport Championship title astatine Oulton Park successful Cheshire.

Another rider, Tom Tunstall, suffered a surgery bony successful his cervix while 5 riders, including McLaren-Wood, sustained insignificant injuries and 3 escaped unharmed.

"I was possibly a statement down Shane and Owen, possibly 5 aliases six bikes down them - possibly a spot more," McLaren-Wood, who suffered a sprained wrist and bruising astir his backmost and knee, told BBC Sport.

"It was conscionable chaos - location was thing anyone could do. There were bikes everywhere. There was obscurity for anyone to spell - it's specified a tight way and there's not really immoderate run-off connected it either."

Richardson and McLaren-Wood forged a narration successful their homeland of New Zealand earlier some moved to nan UK.

McLaren-Wood said his compatriot helped him set to surviving successful England and was ever happy to connection proposal astir racing and life successful general.

Richardson was a joiner since nan property of 16 and ran a joinery business alongside his racing career. He and his partner Hannah James person 2 children, Maddie and Max.

"Shane was specified a beautiful guy. After each title he'd ever person a chat backmost successful nan pits, he'd inquire maine really my title went, I'd inquire astir his and he'd springiness maine proposal connected really to get amended and wherever to improve," McLaren-Wood said.

"He was specified a loving dad. I can't ideate what they're going done correct now, it's truthful abrupt and unexpected."

McLaren-Wood said he did not cognize Jenner "as overmuch arsenic I would person liked".

Jenner, from Crowborough successful East Sussex, started his racing profession successful Junior Motorcross earlier progressing to nan tarmac.

He won nan 2018 Team Green, 2020 Junior Supersport and 2023 Junior Superstock titles. Jenner joined nan Kramer Team for nan 2024 British GP2 season, winning nan title pinch 18 wins retired of 20 title finishes.

Fatalities are uncommon successful motorbike racing, but unluckily not unheard of.

British Superbikes rider Chrissy Rouse died aft a clang astatine Donington Park successful 2022.

Superbikes tin scope speeds of up to 200mph, and nan bikes utilized successful Supersport regularly timepiece good successful excess of 100mph.

Former rider and MLav Racing proprietor Michael Laverty told BBC Sport that nan riders were astir apt reaching speeds of "about 90 to 100mph" erstwhile they collapsed connected nan opening area of Oulton Park connected nan first lap.

McLaren-Wood, who races for Josh Davis Motorsport By UGGLY & Co Kawasaki, expects nan incident to effect immoderate of nan riders, but insisted they each participate nan athletics knowing nan risks.

"I deliberation it will impact a fewer people," McLaren-Wood said.

"Most of america retired location cognize it's nan athletics we emotion to do and we will spell retired location fighting again, and debar thing for illustration that happening again."

Motorsport Vision Racing (MSV), who are responsible for circuit operations astatine Oulton Park, and nan Motorcycle Racing Control Board (MCRCB) said connected Monday they are "investigating nan afloat circumstances of nan incident successful conjunction pinch nan Coroner and Cheshire Constabulary".

"I deliberation location are ever ways to amended successful information successful elite sport," McLaren-Wood said erstwhile asked what nan athletics could learn.

"Maybe location were excessively galore riders retired there, I don't really know. I'm not a information expert, but I deliberation it was mostly a tragedy."

The Oulton Park arena marked nan opening of nan 2025 British Superbikes season, pinch a further 7 rounds group to return spot crossed nan UK earlier 3 'showdown' events.

The Supersport Championship is simply a support people to nan main British Superbike series.

The adjacent arena of nan British Supersport Championship play takes spot astatine Donington Park connected 16-18 May.