Austrian road racer Horst Saiger has announced his immediate retirement from the world of racing. An unexpected decision that comes one year after the terrible accident in which he was involved during a track day at the Red Bull Ring. After his brakes failed, the rider was badly hurt and remained in a coma for a week.

Despite Saiger having returned to racing in recent months, he has now decided to hang up his helmet for good after a long, high-level career, so as to dedicate himself to his family and two children, one of whom was born just a few months before his accident.

A second youth in the road races

After many seasons in world endurance, the talented Austrian decided to move over to road racing, starting with the IRRC race in Terlicko, in the Czech Republic. He fell in love with the discipline and took part in the 2013 Tourist Trophy as a newcomer. To date, he is the fifth best ever rookie in the famous Isle of Man race, where, to quote Saiger himself, "you feel things that are impossible to feel anywhere else in the world".

In addition, Horst has competed in the Classic TT on several occasions, scoring two podiums, as well as the Ulster GP, the North West 200 and the Macau GP, where he scored a best of top six. Achievements that make him one of continental Europe’s strongest ever road racers.

Translated by Heather Watson

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