English rider Davey Lambert, 48, died Tuesday evening of injuries he sustained in a crash during the Isle of Man TT race over the weekend, race organizers confirmed. With Lambert’s death, the total fatalities toll on the race course run by Isle of Man TT is nearing 300.
The race was Lambert’s Isle of Man TT debut, but a statement released by race organizers said he’s been racing on the Snaefell Mountain Course that the event uses since 2014. The fatal crash happened in the opening Superbike race, in which Lambert started 61st out of 69 riders on a Kawasaki bike.
Lambert made it up to the 49th position by the end of the second lap, and crashed on the third. He was no longer listed in the running order from that point on, which appears to be the case with crashed-out riders.
There aren’t many details on the crash or injuries sustained by Lambert, but here’s how the statement described it:
Davey had an accident at Greeba Castle on the third lap of the race and was treated at the scene before being taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital. He was subsequently transferred to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool where he passed away this evening.
A report by the BBC said it “is understood” that the race continued while the on-scene treatment of Lambert was happening. The BBC reports that marshals waved local yellow flags in the area of the wreck while treatment was going on for the remainder of the race, “urging riders to slow down in the area.”
Jalopnik has reached out to Isle of Man TT in regards to that understanding, and will update if we hear back.
Lambert’s death is one of hundreds since the Isle of Man TT races moved to the Snaefell Mountain Course in 1911, which has led to the race being regarded as one of the most dangerous there is. There are more than two competitor deaths a year on average; six people died 2011, and nine in 2005.
A post on Lambert’s Facebook page said the family was sad to announce that he died at 7:50 p.m. local time on Tuesday, with his family and close friends around him. The post said Lambert “went out of this world in exactly the way he would have wanted doing what he loved,” and that he “was a big man with an even bigger heart who will be sorely missed by so many.”
A Facebook user who claimed to have witnessed Lambert’s fatal crash—the first he had “ever seen in 50 years of watching racing” on the course. He commented on the post, saying those at the scene “did everything they possibly could have done” to help Lambert.
Update, June 12 at 11:52 a.m. ET: Here’s the statement Isle of Man sent Jalopnik in regards to continuing the race after Lambert’s wreck:
Following an on-site assessment of rider Davey Lambert’s condition shortly after his accident at Greeba Castle on the third lap of the Superbike race on Sunday, the medical team at the scene, in consultation with Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson, decided that the best course of action was to treat the rider at the scene immediately to stabilise his condition. He was then transferred by airmed to Nobles Hospital.
The rider and medical team were in a position away from the racing line and it was determined that at no point were the rider and medical team in any danger. The treatment the rider received was not in any way compromised or affected by the decision to continue with the race. ...
Waved yellow flags were in operation throughout the area to ensure that riders went through the area at an appropriate speed.