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Jul 23, 2023

Motorbike Rider Raul Torras Martinez Dies at Age 46 Following Crash in Race

Spanish motorbike rider Raul Torras Martinez has died after an accident during

Spanish motorbike rider Raul Torras Martinez has died after an accident during the final lap of the first Supertwin event at the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races on Tuesday.

An official statement from the Isle of Man TT Races confirmed the news and said that the 46-year-old died after a crash between the 16th- and 17th-mile markers on the race's third (and final) lap.

Martinez, who rode for the Optimark Racing Team, competed in 21 TT events since 2017 and earned a career-best 15th-place finish in last year's Supertwin race. He also amassed 18 bronze replicas, which are trophies given to finishers who end the race within 110 percent of the winner's time.

Per the statement, Martinez earned his fastest-ever lap at the TT Mountain Course earlier Tuesday during the Superstock Race (125.470 mph average speed), getting a 20th-place finish in the process.

The statement also noted Raul's passion for racing and his gregarious nature.

"An incredibly popular member of the paddock family, Raul's smile was infectious and his love for the TT and the sport of road racing was apparent to anyone who was fortunate enough to meet him," the statement read.

The Isle of Man TT Races also called Martinez "a passionate and spirited gentleman" whose loss "will be felt deeply by the entire TT community."

Simon Patterson, a freelance MotoGP journalist, offered his remembrances and condolences as well.

Got to know Raul a little bit last year when he messaged me and informed me that I just had to come and visit him in the pits. That's the sort of guy he was -friendly, outgoing, and absolutely adored racing the TT. My deepest condolences tonight to his loved ones.

Per BBC Sport, a total of 267 fatalities have occurred at the Mountain Course since 1911, when the Isle of Man TT Races moved there and has been ever since.