Riders compete in the Moto3 race at the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang on October 26, 2025. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
Kuala Lumpur: A motorcycle racer at the Malaysian MotoGP will need "multiple surgeries" following a serious crash in the Moto3 category on Sunday, his team said.
The Moto3 race at Sepang was delayed and shortened after the nasty collision involving newly crowned world champion Jose Antonio Rueda and Noah Dettwiler during the sighting lap.
Both riders were airlifted to hospital and Dettwiler's team, CIP Green Power, said on social media several hours later that the 20-year-old Swiss "will need to undergo multiple surgeries".
"He is in good hands and we kindly ask you to respect his privacy," the team said, adding he was taken to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
"Noah is a true fighter and the entire CIP Green Power team is right behind him."
MotoGP organisers had said that both riders were conscious following the incident.
In an update on the 19-year-old Spaniard Rueda, MotoGP said: "Rueda is awake and alert, with a suspected hand fracture and a number of contusions."
The accident overshadowed race day at Sepang, where Alex Marquez won the MotoGP race.
"My prayers and thoughts are with the Moto3 guys," said the Spaniard.
Moto3 is the "lightweight" or entry class in the world championship, behind Moto2 and MotoGP, which is regarded as the pinnacle of the sport.
Dettwiler competed in his first full season in the Moto3 world championship in 2024 after signing a two-year deal with CIP Green Power.
