Motorcycle racing is a popular competitor and spectator sport in Great Britain. Several meetings take place every weekend of the motorport season, at various circuits across the country. These range from club or national series, like the Thundersport GB series, to higher profile events like the British Superbike Championship. The age of competitors in circuit racing ranges from juniors of 12 years to people in their 60s or occasionally older. Due to the large number of competitors and the hazardous nature of the sport, and despite the best efforts of organising bodies and redesign of circuits, there have been many rider deaths recorded. Often these deaths occur in series without a major media profile and therefore receive very little press coverage. The worst single incident occurred in 1971 when Peter Pritchard, Patrick Sheridan and Philip Smith all died as the result of a sidecar crash at Oulton Park.
This article is a partial list of riders known to have died competing in British national or club racing series at any level.
1932 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Donington Park | [1] |
1933 | ![]() |
Unknown | Donington Park | [1] |
1955 | ![]() |
Unknown | Castle Combe | [1] |
1958 | ![]() |
Mallory Championship | Mallory Park | [1] |
1960 | ![]() |
Wirrall 100 Club Championships | Oulton Park | [1] |
1961 | ![]() |
Auto-Cycle Union Championships | Oulton Park | [1] |
1961 | ![]() |
Auto-Cycle Union Championships | Oulton Park | [1] |
1962 | ![]() |
British 500cc Championship | Oulton Park | [1] |
1962 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [1] |
1962 | ![]() |
British Road Racing Championship | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1962 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1963 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1963 | ![]() |
Hutchinson 100 Meeting | Silverstone | [1] |
1963 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1963 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1963 | ![]() |
Unknown | Castle Combe | [1] |
1964 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1964 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [1] |
1965 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1965 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [1] |
1965 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1965 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1966 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1966 | ![]() |
Unknown Darley Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1967 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1967 | ![]() |
Sidecar Race of the Year | Mallory Park | [1] |
1968 | ![]() |
Scarborough 500cc Race | Oliver's Mount | [1] |
1969 | ![]() |
Darley 350cc Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1971 | ![]() |
750cc Sidecar Race + | Oulton Park | [1] |
1971 | ![]() |
750cc Sidecar Race + | Oulton Park | [1] |
1971 | ![]() |
750cc Sidecar Race + | Oulton Park | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
British 750cc Championship | Mallory Park | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
Vincent Club Championships | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
Darley Sidecar Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
Darley Sidecar Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
Unknown | Snetterton | [1] |
1972 | ![]() |
Hutchinson 100 Meeting | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1973 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1974 | ![]() |
Unknown Meeting | Oliver's Mount | [1] |
1974 | ![]() |
Unknown Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1974 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Mallory Park | [1] |
1974 | ![]() |
Snetterton Combine Sidecar Race | Snetterton | [1] |
1975 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1975 | ![]() |
Silver Trophy Road Race Series | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1976 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [1] |
1976 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [1] |
1976 | ![]() |
Race of the Year | Mallory Park | [1] |
1976 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1977 | ![]() |
MCN Superbike Championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1977 | ![]() |
BRC Formula 750 Championship | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1977 | ![]() |
Bemsee Club Meeting | Snetterton | [1] |
1977 | ![]() |
North East Solo Championship | Croft Circuit | [1] |
1977 | ![]() |
Unknown | Donington Park | [1] |
1978 | ![]() |
Darley Sidecar Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1979 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Oulton Park | [1] |
1980 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Oulton Park | [1] |
1980 | ![]() |
Unknown | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1980 | ![]() |
BMCRC Production Race | Snetterton | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
British Superbike Championship | Oulton Park | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
ACU 125cc Clubmans Championship | Silverstone | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
Newmarket Club Championships | Snetterton | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
Cheshire Club Championships | Oulton Park | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
Unknown | Mallory Park | [1] |
1981 | ![]() |
Transatlantic Trophy Meeting | Mallory Park | [1] |
1982 | ![]() |
500cc Production Championship | Donington Park | [1] |
1982 | ![]() |
Reverse Direction | Knockhill | [1] |
1982 | ![]() |
Reverse Direction | Knockhill | [1] |
1982 | ![]() |
Unknown | Snetterton | [1] |
1982 | ![]() |
Club Championship | Silloth | [1] |
1983 | ![]() |
Star of Darley Race | Darley Moor | [1] |
1983 | ![]() |
500cc British Championship | Oliver's Mount | [1] |
1984 | ![]() |
Sidecar Race | Knockhill | [1] |
1986 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1986 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Oulton Park | [1] |
1987 | ![]() |
Cheshire Club Championships | Oulton Park | [1] |
1988 | ![]() |
British Superstock Championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1988 | ![]() |
Unknown | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1988 | ![]() |
Unknown | Snetterton | [1] |
1988 | ![]() |
Champion of Brands Series | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1989 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1989 | ![]() |
Darley Ministock Championship | Darley Moor | [1] |
1990 | ![]() |
F5 Club Championships | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1990 | ![]() |
Champion of Snetterton Sidecar Race | Snetterton | [1] |
1990 | ![]() |
Newmarket Club Sidecar Race | Snetterton | [1] |
1990 | ![]() |
Ken Redfern Trophy | Knockhill | [1] |
1992 | ![]() |
Unknown Sidecar Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1992 | ![]() |
Unknown Vintage Event | Mallory Park | [1] |
1992 | ![]() |
Unknown | East Fortune Raceway | [1] |
1993 | ![]() |
Forgotten Era Championship | Mallory Park | [1] |
1994 | ![]() |
British 250cc Supercup Championship | Brands Hatch | [1] |
1995 | ![]() |
Unknown | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1996 | ![]() |
Thunderbike Championship | Oulton Park | [1] |
1997 | ![]() |
British 125cc Championship | Mallory Park | [1] |
1998 | ![]() |
Bemsee Club Open Junior Race | Pembrey | [1] |
1999 | ![]() |
Classic Racing Bike Club Meeting | Cadwell Park | [1] |
1999 | ![]() |
British Supermono Championship | Croft Circuit | [1] |
2000 | ![]() |
Classic Racing Club Sidecar Race | Pembrey | [1] |
2001 | ![]() |
Boxing Day Meeting | Mallory Park | [1] |
2001 | ![]() |
British 250cc Championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2002 | ![]() |
CRMC Sidecar event | Cadwell Park | [1][2] |
2002 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oliver's Mount | [1] |
2002 | ![]() |
Powerbike Southern Championship | Brands Hatch | [1] |
2003 | ![]() |
BMCRC Club GP250 championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2003 | ![]() |
Club Supersport 600 Championship | Snetterton | [1] |
2003 | ![]() |
BMCRC Yamaha Past Masters | Brands Hatch | [1] |
2004 | ![]() |
British Superstock Championship | Brands Hatch | [1] |
2004 | ![]() |
BMCRC Minitwins | Lydden Hill | [1] |
2004 | ![]() |
Scottish Production Championship | Knockhill | [1] |
2005 | ![]() |
British 125cc Championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2005 | ![]() |
BMCRC Rookie 400s | Lydden Hill | [1] |
2005 | ![]() |
NG Club Streetstock Championship | Pembrey | [1] |
2005 | ![]() |
Derby Phoenix Club Championships | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2005 | ![]() |
Derby Phoenix Club Championships | Mallory Park | [1] |
2006 | ![]() |
Derby Phoenix Club Championships | Mallory Park | [1] |
2006 | ![]() |
British Supersport Championship | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2006 | ![]() |
East Midlands Club Events | Mallory Park | [1] |
2007 | ![]() |
British Superbike Championship | Mallory Park | [1] |
2008 | ![]() |
Derby Phoenix Club Championships | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2008 | ![]() |
BMCRC Junior Stocksport 600 | Brands Hatch | [1] |
2009 | ![]() |
Derby Phoenix Club Championships | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2009 | ![]() |
Hottrax Endurance Championship | Snetterton | [1] |
2009 | ![]() |
BMCRC Yamaha Past Masters | Lydden Hill | [1] |
2010 | ![]() |
BMCRC Thunderbike Championship | Snetterton | [1] |
2011 | ![]() |
British Superstock Championship | Cadwell Park | [3] |
2011 | ![]() |
Sidecar Festival | Mallory Park | [1] |
2012 | ![]() |
Auto 66 | Oliver's Mount | [1] |
2013 | ![]() |
BMCRC Lansdowne Classic Series | Brands Hatch | [4] |
2013 | ![]() |
Reverse Direction | Knockhill | [1] |
2014 | ![]() |
Thundersport GB 500 series | Donington Park | [1] |
2014 | ![]() |
No Limits Racing | Cadwell Park | [1] |
2015 | ![]() |
Thundersport GB Stocktwins | Donington Park | [1] |
2016 | ![]() |
Spring Cup | Oliver's Mount | |
2016 | ![]() |
British Historic Racing | Cadwell Park | |
2017 | ![]() |
Classic 350cc Over 55s Championship | Brands Hatch | |
2017 | ![]() |
Ducati Tri-options Championship | Donington | [5] |
2017 | ![]() |
British Superstock 1000 Championship | Thruxton | [6] |
2017 | ![]() |
Melville Motor Club | East Fortune Raceway | |
2018 | ![]() |
BMCRC Powerbikes | Brands Hatch | |
2019 | ![]() |
BMCRC Rookie Minitwins | Brands Hatch |
+ = Multiple riders to have died as the result of a single incident (see previous/following entry)
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 MotorSportMemorial.org Motorcycle deaths (retrieved 8 November 2011)
- ↑ Source - eye witness; I was there, racing at this meeting with the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC)
- ↑ Press Association (29 August 2011), "Ben Gautrey killed in race accident at British Superbike meeting", The Guardian, retrieved 30 August 2011
- ↑ "Ex-BMW motorsport boss Karl-Heinz Kalbfell dies in motorcycle crash". Autosport.com. Haymarket. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
- ↑ "MSVR STATEMENT: PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE". britishsuperbike.com. BSB/MotorSport Vision Racing. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- ↑ "MSVR STATEMENT: PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE". britishsuperbike.com. BSB/MotorSport Vision Racing. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.