Official incident statement: Motorsport Vision.

MotorSport Vision have released the following statement regarding the horrific accident at Brands Hatch, which claimed the life of one rider and left others seriously injured:

MotorSport Vision, the owners of the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, regret to report that National Superstock Championship rider Darren Mitchell died from injuries sustained in a multiple-bike accident at the track (on Sunday).

Mr Mitchell (31), who was from Huddersfield, was riding his SM Racing Suzuki GSXR when the accident happened in wet conditions on the first lap of the Superstock Championship race, which was the penultimate race of the day.

The accident, which involved several bikes, happened at 4-55pm on the long straight from Pilgrims Drop to Hawthorns Hill.

Mr Mitchell received treatment at the scene by medical staff from the organising club, the MCRCB, and Brands Hatch. He was transported by Kent Air Ambulance to Maidstone Hospital, where he died from his injuries later in the evening.

MotorSport Vision managing director Jonathan Palmer made this statement after the incident.

"This has been a black day for the popular Superstock series and I am so terribly sorry for particularly the family and friends of Darren Mitchell, to whom I extend my deepest sympathies.

"I understand Darren was an immensely popular rider and was the victim of a freak accident in wet conditions in which several other riders were also injured and I very much hope all of these make a full recovery.

"Having been in Race Control immediately after the accident, I would like to pay tribute to the outstanding professionalism of Stuart Higgs, Race Director of MCRCB and Dr Paul Trafford, Chief Medical Officer, and their respective teams. This was a simply dreadful, extensive, accident that must have been enormously demanding to manage."

"Several other riders were injured in the incident. Jamie Morley, from Waterlooville in Hampshire, was airlifted by HEMS to London Hospital, where he is receiving treatment for his injuries. The other injured parties were taken by road ambulance to appropriate local hospitals.

"Mark Heckles, from Liverpool, sustained a broken leg and was taken to Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. Dean Johnson, from Coalville, also suffered a broken leg and was taken to Darenth Valley Hospital in Dartford. Belgian rider Paul Mooijan was transferred to Darenth Valley Hospital and was kept in overnight for observation after sustaining a minor head injury.

Two other riders, Matt Layt and Steve Thompson, rode through the scene and stopped but were uninjured.