Andres Hall (pictured), director of Rada OÜ, the operator of the Audru Porsche test circuit (Audru ringraja), noted that this was the first tragic incident in the history of the Audru track, just west of Pärnu.

The raceway operator has pledged to take the accident investigation seriously, and to put in place modifications to the track to avoid the possibility of a similar accident.

Hall said: "Unfortunately, in motorsport, including motorcycle racing, accidents and falls can never be completely avoided. All this makes safeguarding track safety vital."

"Safety at Audru Raceway has always been our top priority, and Saturday's accident came as a huge shock," Hall said. "The event was organized by Lithuanian company CR Moto, and preceded the first stage of the Estonian and Baltic circuit racing championships, scheduled for Sunday."

"We are working closely with the Estonian motorcycling federation, and taking steps from our side to prevent similar incidents from occurring again," Hall added.

"We have already ordered work to be done for the upcoming week in the vicinity of the 6th turn, to remove a drainage ditch next to the accident site, and to raise the ground in front of the tire barrier," he went on.

Hall noted that the track complies with international standards and has been repeatedly inspected by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the Estonian Autosport Union (Eesti Autospordi Liit) and the Estonian Motorcycling Federation (Eesti Mootorrattaspordi Föderatsioon).

"The 6th turn, near where the accident happened, has never come in for criticism from those inspectors who have looed at the track," Hall said.

The Audru raceway in Pärnu County has been operating in its current set-up since 2013.

"The course also has the largest runoff areas among tracks in the region, while the runoff areas at other nearby tracks are similarly grass-covered," Hall continued.

"Under normal circumstances, the accident site does not lie within the track's runoff area, and in case of error, neither a rider nor the bike should slide off in the direction that they did."

"There are no tracks in the Baltic states which have asphalt or gravel runoff areas. In any case since the accident did not occur in the runoff area, what surface material the actual runoff area is made of would unfortunately not have made any difference in the case of this tragedy," Hall added.

Apinis, born in 1985, was an active YouTuber posting videos about his chosen sport. In the aftermath of Saturday's incident, which took place in a Superstock 600 event, some commentators questioned the safety of the track, Pärnu Postimees reports.

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