Tragic Accident Claims Young Japanese Superbike Racer Haruki Noguchi at Mandalika 2023 🏁

Japanese Superbike rider Haruki Noguchi, 22-year-old, succumbed on Wednesday evening, 16 August 2023 to his critical injuries suffered three days earlier in a crash during the fourth round of the Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship, held at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in the island of Lombok, Indonesia.<br /><br />The fatal crash occurred on the fourth lap of the Superbike 1000 cm3 second heat. Haruki Noguchi lost control of his Honda and fell down on the approach to Turn 10 of the track. Fellow Malaysian rider Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin was unable to avoid hitting him at full speed. The circumstance of the accident was reminiscent of Marco Simoncelli's fatal accident in 2011 at Sepang.<br /><br />The young Japanese rider was immediately rescued and was treated at the Mandalika circuit's Medical Centre. Later, he was transferred to the Provincial Public Hospital of Nusa Tenggara Barat in Mataram City, Indonesia. Haruki Noguchi never recovered and despite the efforts of the doctors, he passed away after three days.<br /><br />The race was stopped after the crash and ultimately canceled. This was reported to be the first fatality involving a competitor at the Mandalika International Street Circuit, since the track was opened in 2021.<br /><br />Haruki Noguchi had won the first two races of the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship season at Buriram International Circuit in Thailand, and was in second position in the standings of the series, behind BMW rider Markus Reiterberger of Germany. He rode a Honda motorcycle for the HARC Pro-run SDG Team.<br /><br />R.I.P