If you grew up following two-wheeled racing around the same time I did, Shane 'Shakey' Byrne is a name familiar to you for so many reasons—some great, and some that required a public apology.
Career highlights include snagging rides with Aprilia, Proton KTM, and Camel Honda in MotoGP, along with being the most successful rider in the history of the Bennets British Superbike Championship (BSB), amassing six titles and 85 race wins.
Unfortunately, while testing for what would be Byrne's final year in BSB on May 17th, 2018, at Snetterton Racetrack, he was forced to jump off his Ducati Panigale 1299 at around 60 mph. Byrne continued traveling over a grassy area before hitting a barrier protected by a tire wall, along with his bike, at between 15-25 mph. Even at such relatively low speeds, the injuries were catastrophic.
Byrne, who was the reigning BSB champion, sustained two bruised lungs and fractures to all of his ribs, four vertebrae, collarbone, and neck in two places. The now 47-year-old hasn't raced since the accident.
There was nothing unusual about the crash, what was unusual was there were type-D barriers (tire walls) protecting the impact zone instead of type-A barriers, which are air-filled fences that act as shock absorbers. Type-A barriers were installed soon after Byrne's crash, but the damage had already been done.
Byrne soon began the process of suing Motor Sport Vision (MSV), Motor Sport Vision Racing (MSVR), and the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board (MCRCB). Malcolm Duthie, who represented the defendants, told the court that it was Byrnes's riding that was the "substantial and real cause" of the crash and that the barriers at the corner were sufficient.
Judge Peter Blair KC ruled in Byrne's favor and said it was "a foreseeable type of racing incident... (Byrne) did not sustain any serious injuries as a result of jumping clear of his motorcycle and tumbling towards the barrier.", adding that it was "negligent not to have concluded that type ‘A’ additional protective devices were required on the outside barrier at Turn 3.”
It's taken more than six years since sustaining injuries that made me quiver to read for Byrne to hear a ruling. That alone makes me angry. But to hear the defense's argument that it was Byrne's own actions that effectively ended the career of the winningest BSB rider ever, well, that made me furious.
It's unknown how much Byrne will receive, but I hope it's enough to make the defendants feel something and, more so, enough to give Byrne much-needed peace and validation.
