

The 67-year-old Stock Paulista driver crashed at the Curva do Sol - the long left handed turn three - during a stock car race and suffered severe head injuries after his car somersaulted numerous times. Despite being taken to hospital he fell in to a coma and died 3 days laters.

The fatality led to calls from Brazilian drivers like the leading Brazilian touring car driver Caca Bueno, for a run-off area to be installed ahead of this year's Brazilian Grand Prix after Rafael Sperafico was killed in a near-identical accident in 2007.
Former F1 driver Luciano Burti, a Sao Paulo native, agrees.
"We need to find the room for that, like bringing down the bleachers for some run-off. Safety must come first. The solution exists and we need unity to make the changes before the next thing happens there."

Following consultation with the FIA, circuit organisers have since promised that they will be removing a section of seating in order to make the necessary safety changes, but so far nothing has been done.