Copparam Shreyas Hareesh, a remarkably talented 13-year-old bike racer, achieved the distinction of being the first Indian participant who made it to the final round of the World MiniGP Championship in two-wheeler racing, which took place in Spain. Tragically, he met with a fatal accident during the National Motorcycle Racing Championship (NMRC) that was held in Irungattukottai in Chennai on Saturday. During the third round of the race, Shreyas, who is commonly referred to as 'The Bengaluru Kid,' fell while exiting corner 1 of the racetrack on a 200cc bike resulting in head trauma. Shreyas, aged 13, was taken to the emergency room of a neighbouring hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival. In light of Shreyas' demise, the Madras Motor Sports Club made the decision to cancel the remaining events scheduled for the weekend.
Shreyas Hareesh’s Accomplishments
Shreyas commenced his professional journey in the FIM Mini-GP category within the Indian motorsport scene, ultimately being victorious as the champion in the year 2022. Following this, he took part in the National Championship, and after several notable finishes, TVS selected him for the rookie cup. The young prodigy was offered training and presented with a TVS bike to participate in the races.
He achieved victory in the initial four races in the rookie category, before transitioning to the pro-stock 165cc open division. As per experienced racers and veterans, he was one of the competitors within the nation with great potential as a racer, in the future.
In May this year, the racing prodigy achieved a significant milestone by being the first Indian participant to advance to the final round of the World Championship in the domain of two-wheeler racing, held in Spain. Shreyas actively took part in the FIM MiniGP World Championship, where he achieved commendable results of 5th and 4th place in the initial and following races, respectively. These outcomes effectively demonstrated his inherent skill and promising capabilities.
Indian Motorsport Community Mourns Shreyas
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said, “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. The MMSC offers heartfelt condolences and our thoughts are with his family.”
"The motorsport fraternity has lost a gem in the passing away of Copparam Shreyas Hareesh," tweeted FMSCI. "During his racing career, Shreyas stamped his presence as an emerging new talent with immense potential. In his demise at a young age, is a huge loss to Indian motorsport. The FMSCI offers condolences to his family and stands by them in their hour of grief."
— FMSCI (@fmsci) August 6, 2023
A significant number of people expressed their condolences to his family. On Monday, a funeral procession in Bengaluru witnessed the gathering of more than 500 individuals, who came to pay their last respects to the deceased racer. The cremation ceremony took place in Hebbal.
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