About Ariadna Tixell Romero / Motosan.es
Spanish driver Ismael Bonilla died on Sunday in an accident at the Jerez–Ángel Nieto circuit.
Ismael Bonilla died at the Jerez circuit while working as an instructor during a day of free practice. According to several witnesses, his Yamaha R1 ran out of brakes at the end of the first turn and left the track at very high speed. The accident cost him his life.
A few days before his 42nd birthday (July 17), a professional pilot and colleague passed away. He had collaborated with Motosan, had written articles on the blog in which he told us about his experience and had devoted more than half of his life to motorcycling, whatever the format or type of championship.
Ismael Bonilla won the national single-cylinder 4T speed title in 1994. He then rode in Open Ducados 600 and became a regular in the 250cc national championship, a category in which he was also seen during the Spanish rounds of the world championship, in which he competed in nine Grands Prix between 1996 and 2001, reaching 15th place at Jarama in 1998 and then scoring a point, as well as in the European Championship, where he regularly finished in the points until he reached the podium with his second place in Cartagena in 1999.
In CEV, he also competed in Formula Extreme and the Kawasaki Ninja Cup, until he hung up his helmet in 2013. His last race was in the first round of the RACE Trophy with the Kawasaki ZX- 10R from EMS Racing. It was his last race, and he also ended his two-decade career by beating one of Jarama's great specialists, Erik Morillas.
From then on, Ismael Bonilla focused on his personal affairs and devoted the little free time he had to organizing track runs and collaborating with our colleagues at the Motorcycle Formula. In addition, he was able to give a boost to the career of the current Supersport 300 world champion, Manuel González, a rider that Bonilla sponsored in 2012 and with whom he shared four years full of victories and defeats which, to date, has culminated in the world championship.
Ismael Bonilla had developed his skills as a motorcycle test rider in recent years. A job that allowed him to travel around the world attending the best international presentations of each brand, quickly gaining the friendship and sympathy of all colleagues in this field.
From the Motosan team, we send a big hug to the family, friends and fans. Rest in peace, Ismael Bonilla.
Read the original article on Motosan.es
