Isle of Man TT racer dies in crash, organisers confirm

A tragic accident occurred during the Isle of Man TT Races, resulting in the death of Raul Torras Martinez, 46 years old. The fatal crash took place during the year’s first Supertwin Race at Alpine, between the 16th and 17th mile markers on the final lap of the three-lap race. The organisers released a statement acknowledging the loss of the experienced TT competitor, who made his debut in 2017 and achieved his best result of 15th place in last year’s Supertwin Race.

“Raul recorded his fastest ever lap of the TT Mountain Course earlier today in the Superstock Race, with a lap at an average speed of 125.470mph whilst securing a 20th-place finish. Raul was the fastest Spaniard ever to have lapped the TT course.”

Martinez competed in 21 TT races and earned a total of 18 Bronze Replica trophies. The organisers expressed their “deepest sympathy” to his family, friends, and loved ones, describing him as an “incredibly popular member of the paddock family” with an infectious smile.

In a previous year, a father and son were killed during the competition. Driver Roger Stockton, 56 years old, and 21-year-old passenger Bradley, from Crewe, died following an incident at Ago’s Leap on the final lap of the second sidecar race.

Last month, Gary Thompson, boss of the TT, told Sky News that riders must accept risks while emphasizing that the event is doing more than ever to improve safety. “We try to manage risk much better than was done in the past,” he said. “The riders sign on, they know that risk. And, almost for them, that’s the challenge. For us, we manage that risk without taking away that challenge.”

The TT takes place over a two-week period, attracting motorcycle road racers from around the world. The first week is dedicated to practice sessions, followed by a week of racing. The Supertwin race features twin-cylinder 700cc machines derived from middleweight road motorcycles transformed into racing bikes.