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No one is to blame for Ollie's crash

From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Thursday 26th Jul 2007.

Ollie Bridewell's father Marcus and brother Tommy were at the track when his son suffered his fatal injuries.

Mr Bridewell, 46, said the track was wet and Ollie was on the third lap of his practice session when he lost control on the Esses section. No other vehicles were involved.

He was thrown from his bike and landed heavily on the track and suffered critical head and neck injuries.

Mr Bridewell said: "It was the last five minutes of practice and he decided to go out for a wet set up test. Ollie had the reputation of being so very fast in the wet. The first lap he was getting into it, the second lap he went a bit quicker and the third lap it wasn't to be.

"He always drove to be better than anybody else. Even when the conditions were not very good he still would have wanted to be number one. He was never really satisfied unless he was right at the front.

"On the day perhaps he was pushing too hard. He was perhaps going a bit too quick for the conditions. We are not blaming Ollie or laying the blame at anyone else for what happened."

The family thanked the Motorcycle Racing Con-trol Board medical and event staff and in particular Toby Branfoot, the chief medical officer of the British Superbike Champ-ionship, the marshals, officials and everyone at Team NB for their efforts and kindness.

Championship spokes-man Dave Fern said: "The accident happened early-on in the first free practice for the Superbikes.

The initial evidence that has come back from the marshals and others on the scene was he lost control of his bike going through the Esses section.

He fell from his machine awkwardly and heavily with the track surface and slid into the barriers.

He sustained critical head and neck injuries and was treated at the track side. The session was stopped immediately.

"He was transferred to the circuit medical centre and the air ambulance was called.'' The Leicestershire coroner is investigating the death along with the Health and Safety Executive.

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