Supersport 300 rider Vinales dies after Jerez crash

The cousin of MotoGP race winner Maverick Vinales, Dean Berta was one of the five riders involved in a collision at Turn 2 at the start of lap 11 along with Alejandro Carrion, Daniel Mogeda, Harry Khouri and Yeray Ruiz.

The race was immediately red-flagged by the stewards, with Kawasaki rider Jeffrey Buis declared the winner based on the results of the last completed lap.

A little over two hours after the race was halted, the World Superbike announced in a statement that the 15-year-old has passed away following the crash.

"The rider suffered severe head and thoracic injuries," read the statement.

"Medical vehicles arrived at the site immediately and the rider was attended to on track, in the ambulance and at the circuit Medical Centre.

"Despite the best efforts of the circuit medical staff, the Medical Centre has announced that Berta Viñales has sadly succumbed to his injuries."

The organisers had already decided to curtail the rest of the day’s running, cancelling both the WSBK and the World Supersport races that were scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Vinales was competing in his maiden season in WorldSSP300 on a Yamaha this year, riding for  the family-run Vinales Racing Team that was founded by Maverick’s father Angel at the start of the year to promote young Spanish talent in motorsport.

Vinales scored a best finish of fourth in the second race at Magny-Cours last month and qualified 10th on the grid for this weekend's WSBK races in his home country.