Victor Steeman, a motorcycle racer for MTM Kawasaki who competed in the Supersport 300 World Championship series, died Tuesday after being critically injured during a crash in the series' season finale at Portimao on Saturday. He was 22.
Steeman had been in contention to win the series championship on Saturday at Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal when he was involved in a serious accident on the initial start of the opening race of the weekend, colliding with Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez in turn 14. Steeman was attended to trackside and at the circuit's medical center before being airlifted to a local hospital in Faro with polytrauma and a severe head injury.
Steeman was listed in critical condition following the accident before his death was confirmed Tuesday by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, the governing body for international motorcycle racing.
"Following a serious incident in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship's Race 1 during the Pirelli Portuguese Round at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, it is with great sadness that we report the passing of rider Victor Steeman," read a statement. "... The FIM Family, Dorna Group and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve pass on their deepest condolences to Victor's family, friends, team and loved ones."
You’ll never be forgotten. You’ll be forever in our hearts.
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 12, 2022
Victor Steeman, #AlwaysOurVictor 💚 pic.twitter.com/ByqYX9rGn0
A native of Zevenaar in the Netherlands, Steeman broke into Supersport 300 in 2018 before being hired as a starting rider for Freudenberg in 2019. Riding a KTM, Steeman flashed promise by winning a pole at Jerez and scoring a best finish of fourth on his way to a fifth-place finish in the championship standings.
After competing in the German IDM championship in 2020, Steeman returned to Supersport 300 in 2021, scoring his first career victory at the Most GP before finishing 10th in the standings. The 2022 season had been a breakout year for Steeman, as he had scored four wins, five podiums, and three poles before entering last weekend's finale with a chance to win the world championship. Steeman would end up finishing second in the final standings to Alvaro Diaz.
In a statement, Steeman's family shared that their son donated his organs upon his death, which will save the lives of five other people.
"Despite the unbearable loss and grief, we are extremely proud to share with you that our hero, through his passing, was able to save five other people by donating his organs," read the family statement. "We would like to thank everyone for the way you have lived with us over the past few days. We will miss our Victor enormously."
Steeman's death marks the second fatality in the history of Supersport 300, which was established in 2017 as a support series to the Superbike World Championship. Spanish rider Dean Berta Vinales was killed after being run over in an accident in September of 2021 at Jerez.
