An 11-year-old Spanish driver died from injuries sustained in a crash at Fernando Alonso’s karting circuit in Spain over the weekend, the Spanish Motorsport Federation confirmed in a statement on Sunday.
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According to a statement posted to the federation’s Twitter account at 2:21 a.m. ET, driver Gonzalo Basurto was at the Fernando Alonso Karting Campus for a private practice before an Asturian Karting Championship event. A translation of the statement, posted originally in Spanish, said Basurto “suffered a serious accident” in the session and was not able to “overcome the consequences.”
The Associated Press reports that Spanish media said Basurto’s kart flipped over during the practice session and landed on top of him. The official statement from the federation did not confirm details of the accident, but did say it is investigating the incident. From a Google translation of the statement:
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The Royal Spanish Federation of Motorsport wants to show its most absolute pain and dismay at the loss of Gonzalo, while thanking the gestures of affection and sensitivity received from all areas of our sport.
In the various competitions held today are spontaneously making homage to the figure of the young driver, as a sign of the irreparable pain that leaves its loss and the union of the whole family of motorsports.
From the RFEdeA, in coordination with the Automobile Federation of the Principality of Asturias and with the FIA, we are working on the analysis of this tragic accident and, later on, to be able to offer a more complete information of the event.
Likewise, this entity thanks the respect and sensitivity with which the sad news is being addressed, reiterating the total support of the Spanish motorsport to the relatives and friends of Gonzalo. Our deepest condolences. Rest in Peace, Gonzalo.
Alonso, whose circuit opened in July of 2015 and mirrors his favorite Formula One corners, tweeted about the event a few hours later.
“I wake up early in the morning in one of the saddest days,” an English translation of Alonso’s tweet said. “Shattered. From here, a big hug to the family of Gonzalo and all karting.”