Other racers have been praising Rouse, calling him “one of the nicest people in the paddock” and “truly talented” and “always smiling.”
Chrissy Rouse, a British Superbike rider, passed away following a weekend accident at Donington Park.
Organizers said the 26-year-old “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family in hospital” on Thursday afternoon.
The Newcastle rider suffered a serious head injury after being unavoidably hit by the following rider on the first lap of Sunday’s race.
Rouse was treated at the side of the track and taken to the circuit’s medical centre, where he was put in a coma.
He later had emergency neurosurgery at a Nottingham hospital.
The race organiser MSVR said it was investigating the incident with the coroner, police, and the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board.
Rouse moved into British Superbikes this season and rode for Crowe Performance BMW, the same team he won the national superstock title in 2020.
He was also a maths teacher.
Many well-known British bike racers have been paying tribute, including fellow British Superbikes competitors Tarran Mackenzie, Glenn Irwin, and Peter Hickman.
Gutted 😔💔 it was a pleasure to know you and share a track with you champ. RIP @ChrissyRouse pic.twitter.com/rKxdI3medF
— PeTTer Hickman (@peterhickman60) October 6, 2022
Mackenzie tweeted: “This sport is so cruel sometimes. Talented in so many different ways and truly one of the nicest people in the paddock. RIP Chrissy.”
Irwin, currently second in the standings, called him a “truly talented person” who was “always smiling”, while Hickman said it was a “pleasure to know you and share a track with you, champ”.
Rouse’s death was announced on the same day British motorcycle racing also lost its most successful racer ever.
Phil Read MBE died peacefully in his sleep, aged 83, his son said.
Read won 52 grand Prix in the 1960s and 1970s, and was world champion in the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc classes. He also won eight times at the Isle of Man TT races.