Sad news from Portugal. A friend, fellow motorcyle rider, and pilot, was killed last Sunday at Estoril while competing in one of the support Cup (Copa Motoval) of the Portuguese Speed Championship (CNV - Campeonato Nacional de Velocidade). I known him a few years ago, first online in some forums, then IRL, and I can honestly say that I can't remember a single time or things he did where he was a bad person. This appears to be the general opinion of him, even among his adversaries on the track. We got together many times, either in motorcycle reunions/rides, on the track were I was going to watch him race, even in charity events organized by an online forum we were both participants. The only time I went to the track to ride he offered to take my motorcycle home in his trailer, which he did, even if it meant that after an exhausting day, he still went a good amount of miles out of his way, to take my motorcycle home. I take some comfort in the fact he died something he loved, but it's really very sad taking into consideration all I've wrote above. He, his wife (who was there always with him), a crew member (Fairing painter), and one of the mechanics before his last start
These times are always sad and affect the whole motorcycling fraternity. Best wishes to you and for Sérgio's wife and family.
His funeral is tomorrow... Still hard to believe he's gone. It appears he had a lowside entering a turn, but quickly picked up his bike and resumed racing. Something in the brake system of the bike must have broke in the bike during the first crash, because he simply didn't brake for the next corner. Marshalls say he dropped a gear, but bike just went straight into the guard rails, estimated 150/170 km/h. Dead instantly.
