Japanese racer Haruki Noguchi dies in Indonesian circuit crash

Japanese rider Haruki Noguchi. –Asia Road Racing Championship

Japanese Superbike racer Haruki Noguchi has died from injuries suffered in a crash during an Asia Road Racing Championship race in Indonesia, organizers said Thursday.

The 22-year-old died on Wednesday evening despite three days of treatment at a hospital in Mataram, on the island of Lombok.

“It is with great sadness that we report the demise of Haruki Noguchi after three days of intensive treatment at the Public Hospital of Nusa Tenggara Barat,” the International Motorcycling Federation Asia said in a statement.

The SDG Honda Racing rider crashed on the fourth lap of the Asia Superbike 1000cc race at the Mandalika International Street Circuit in West Nusa Tenggara province on Sunday, which resulted in the race being canceled.

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“We conveyed our deepest condolences for the passing of Haruki Noguchi… we pray that the family he left behind will be granted strength and resilience during this grieving period,” the Mandalika Grand Prix Association wrote on its Instagram account on Thursday.

The rising Superbike star made his debut in the All Japan Road Racing Championships in 2017 and was one of the favorites to win the Asia Road Championship title this year.

“Haruki started riding a motorcycle at the age of five and has given us a lot of excitement and joy,” his parents said in a statement published by the official global motorsport fan site for Honda Racing.

“We would like to express our gratitude to many friends, teams, and everyone who supported Haruki.”

Six-time world champion Marc Marquez bowed out of the Indonesian Grand Prix last year after a horror crash in the final warm-up and was taken to hospital for checks.

Mandalika is a new circuit that hosted its first international races in 2022.