Morot Racing: IndyCar driver is killed

The American rookie driver Jeff Krosnoff, 31, was killed when his car spun out of control and cartwheeled into a fence during the Toronto IndyCar Grand Prix yesterday. A race marsall was also killed.

Krosnoff made contact with the cars of Sweden's Stefan Johansson and Brazil's Andre Ribeiro. His car became airborne, spun several times, hitting the fence and breaking into pieces before falling to the ground. Krosnoff landed on the track still strapped into his cockpit. The race was abruptly stopped on lap 93. Krosnoff is the first IndyCar driver to die as a result of injuries sustained in a race since 1973.

A British rider was among six other people killed in separate motor sport accidents yesterday. The 25-year-old Lee Pullan died in Belgium when his Kawasaki, travelling at 156mph, hit an official who apparently stepped on to the track during the Spa Francorchamps 24-hour motorcycling race near Liege. The Belgian official, Charles Albert, was also killed attempting to retrieve an object from the circuit.

Four people were killed and 35 injured near Alencon in western France when a rallycross car left the track and ploughed into spectators.Eight people had serious leg and head wounds and 27 had minor injuries. While up to 100 rescue workers treated casualties at the scene, three helicopters ferried the most seriously injured to hospital.