Jason Dupasquier has died after crashing his motorcycle during a qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday.
"Dupasquier was involved in a multi-rider incident between Turns 9 and 10, with the session Red Flagged thereafter," MotoGP said in a statement.
The 19-year-old rider crashed with Ayumu Sasaki and Jeremy Alcoba. As Dupasquier fell to the ground, he was hit by his own motorbike and then by Sasaki's bike. Paramedics rushed to the scene and put up a sheet as they spent 30 minutes treating him before he was airlifted to the hospital.
"FIM Medical Intervention Vehicles arrived at the site immediately, and the Swiss rider was attended to on track before being transferred by medical helicopter, in a stable state, to Careggi Hospital in Florence. Despite the best efforts of circuit medical staff and all those subsequently attending to the Swiss rider, the hospital has announced that Dupasquier has sadly succumbed to his injuries," MotoGP's statement continued.
A moment of silence was held for Dupasquier before the start of the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
"It's with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Jason Dupasquier/ We're devastated, and at this time all of our thoughts are with Jason's family You'll be sorely missed and never forgotten, Jason ❤️," his team, Prüstel GP, wrote on Facebook.
Dupasquier was a rising star and was ranked 10th in the World Championship standings in just his second season in MotoGP's lightweight class.
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