Pitt third in tragic circumstances

Peel resident Andrew Pitt (pictured) finished third in yesterday's Brands Hatch round of the World Supersport Championship.

But the death of British rider Craig Jones overnight following a crash during the race has cast a shadow over the weekend.

An official statement says the 23-year-old, from Northwich in Cheshire, seemed to lose control of his bike at Clark Curve and was immediately and unavoidably struck by a following rider, sustaining serious head injuries.

He was treated immediately at the track's medical facilities, then taken by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital for assessment and further treatment.

The FGSport/MSVR joint statement says he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of this morning.

The crash happened on lap 16 of the race, with Jones in second at the time, behind Jonathan Rea but ahead of Pitt and those were given as the end of race positions.

Pitt had earlier broken the Brands Hatch Supersport lap record, on lap 14.

He has a lead of 32 points over Rea in the Championship, with four rounds remaining.

The next one's at Donington Park on September 7th.