Catalan motorcycling is in mourning. Kristian Daniel Sr., father of young American rider Kristian Daniel Jr., has died aged 43 in the severe storms and floods that have hit Catalonia in recent days. The news comes just a week after the 17-year-old announced his first professional contract with KTM to race in the Moto3 World Championship next season.
Kristian is an American rider fully integrated in Catalonia, where he has lived since he was eight, and he even speaks Catalan. He has grown up as a rider here.
What happened
After he was reported missing, Kristian Daniel Sr.’s body was found very close to his vehicle, which had become trapped in a flooded tunnel in Les Franqueses del Vallès. According to published reports, he is one of the victims of the storms of recent days.
A family devoted to a dream
His father had been at his side since his first steps on a motorcycle. They often travelled by van to training sessions, and the young rider’s career had become a family project. To make it possible, the Daniels left their life in Southern California and moved to Barcelona when Kristian was eight. His mother, Evelin, his younger brother, Jaydon, and his grandparents made the move too.
2026 was the year of confirmation: Kristian finished fourth in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, with four podiums and three races in which he came very close to winning, a season we reviewed in this article (in Catalan). Those results opened the door to the Moto3 World Championship with KTM. We also covered his story in this feature (in Catalan).
The rider’s farewell
Kristian Daniel Jr. said goodbye to his father on social media with a deeply moving message. He thanks him for everything he did, calls them the best team anyone could have, and promises he will go far and never give up, just as he was taught.
At Fórmula Ràpida Network we send our deepest condolences to Kristian, his mother Evelin, his brother Jaydon, and all their family and friends.