High Court confirm crunch verdict in Shane Byrne's claim over BSB career-ender

Shane Byrne has won his claim at the UK High Court in relation to his crash at the Snetterton circuit in 2018.

Byrne was testing at Snetterton in anticipation of the upcoming BSB round at the track, but crashed at the left-handed turn three and collided with the trackside barrier on the outside of the track.

Byrne, who was riding a Ducati Panigale 1299 for the Paul Bird Motorsport team at the test, never raced again after his crash, in which he sustained several fractures and other internal injuries.

Barrister Kyril Waite KC told the court that the barriers on the outside of the corner where Byrne crashed were type D barriers — tyre barriers — when they should have been air-filled type A barriers.

Malcolm Duthie, representing the defendants — Motor Sport Vision (MSV), Motor Sport Vision Racing (MSVR), and the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board (MCRCB) — told the court that the barriers at the corner at which Byrne crashed were sufficient and Byrne’s riding was the “substantial and real cause” of the crash, the BBC reports.

Judge Peter Blair KC declared in Byrne’s favour, however, saying that he “was not the author of his own misfortune and he was not contributorily negligent.”

Judge Blair added that it was “negligent not to have concluded that type ‘A’ additional protective devices were required on the outside barrier at Turn 3.”

Judge Blair concluded that Byrne “did not sustain any serious injuries as result of jumping clear of his motorcycle and tumbling towards the barrier. The impact with the barrier, however, materially caused the infliction of his injuries.

“I find each of the defendants liable for the injuries sustained by the claimant.”