A 13-year-old racing prodigy Copparam Shreyas Hareesh, tragically passed away following a crash in the third round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
A Young Star Gone Too Soon
Shreyas Hareesh was a rising star in the Indian bike racing scene, who had a dream of making it to MotoGP.
Born on July 26, 2010, in Bengaluru, Shreyas started riding bikes at the age of six and soon developed a passion for racing. He participated in several local races and impressed everyone with his speed and skill. He made his national debut in 2021, when he became the youngest-ever Indian to compete and win races in the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC).
In 2022, he achieved a major milestone by winning the inaugural edition of the FIM MiniGP World Series India, which is a crucial platform for young riders looking to make it to MotoGP or international motorcycle racing in general. He also represented India at the world finals of the MiniGP championship in Spain, where he finished fifth and fourth in two races.
In 2023, he was competing in the Rookie (RTR 200) class of the TVS One-Make Championship, which is part of the INMRC. He had won four consecutive races and was leading the championship standings. He had also secured a seat to race in the Malaysia Superbike Championship later this year.
However, his promising career came to an abrupt end when he crashed while exiting Turn 1 in the TVS Rookie race on Saturday. He suffered a severe head injury and was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Following the incident, promoter of the event cancelled the remaining races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
“It is tragic to have lost a rider so young and talented. Shreyas, who was making waves with his prodigious racing talent, was provided medical assistance on the spot immediately after the incident and taken to the hospital,” MMSC president Ajit Thomas said.
“Under the circumstances, we have decided to cancel rest of this weekend’s programme. The MMSC offers heart-felt condolences and our thoughts are with his family.”
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