The global motorsport community is in mourning following the tragic deaths of two riders — New Zealander Shane Richardson and 21-year-old British rising star Owen Jenner — during a devastating crash at Oulton Park on Monday in the British Supersport Championship.

The first-lap incident, involving 11 riders, left the racing world shaken. Shane Richardson, a father of two who had relocated from New Zealand to the UK to pursue his racing dreams, and Jenner, a young champion from East Sussex with a promising career ahead of him, both succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

Another competitor, 47-year-old Tom Tunstall, remains in hospital with serious back and abdominal injuries, while five others were treated for minor wounds.

Jenner, described by teammates as “one of the great characters of the paddock,” had made a meteoric rise through the racing ranks. From Junior Motocross beginnings to tarmac triumphs, he captured multiple national titles before clinching the 2024 British GP2 title with an astonishing 18 wins out of 20 finishes. His recent signing with Rapid Honda was seen as the beginning of a new chapter — one cruelly cut short.

Rapid Honda expressed their devastation in a heartfelt statement:

Team Green Racing echoed the sentiment, calling Jenner “an incredibly talented racer and a light in the paddock.”

Meanwhile, Richardson, 33, was widely respected both for his skill on the bike and his warmth off the track. Raised in the close-knit community of Lower Hutt near Wellington, he balanced his racing life with a carpentry business, and was known for treating strangers like friends. He moved to the UK in 2019 with his partner, Hannah James, and built a new life with their children, Maddie and Max.

Tributes have poured in from across the racing world and his home country. Fellow New Zealand rider Morgan McLaren-Wood, who walked away from the crash with minor injuries, wrote:

Hutt City councillor Brady Dyer called Shane “a hometown hero” and said the news had left the Wainuiomata community “heartbroken.”

Richardson’s team sponsor, Hippo, described him as someone who “made instant friends everywhere he went” and brought “a love of his sport into every interaction.”

Another compatriot and racer, Cormac Buchanan, shared a personal tribute to Richardson on Instagram:

As tributes continue, the loss of both men has raised not only mourning, but reflection on the risks that motorsport carries — and the unwavering passion of those who choose to chase speed, even in the face of danger.

The global racing community, from paddocks in Europe to grassroots tracks in Africa, joins hands in grief and remembrance.


By WafricNews Desk.