LESS than a week after the tragic crash in IndyCars that claimed the life of British racing driver Dan Wheldon, motorcycling has its own shock to deal with. Promising Italian rider Marco Simoncelli died from injuries sustained in a crash during the penultimate round of the championship this morning in Malaysia.
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| Marco Simoncelli: 20 January 1987 - 23 October 2011 |
Simoncelli, 24, was riding for the Gresini Honda team when he came off his bike on the second lap. The incident happened on turn 11 of the Sepang International Circuit. He bounced back onto the road, only to be collected by two other riders; Yamaha’s Colin Edwards and the Ducati of Valentino Rossi. Edwards also tumbled into the gravel and fractured his shoulder, whilst Rossi nursed his machine back to the Ducati pit. The impact with the other bikes saw Simoncelli’s helmet ripped off and it soon became clear that this was a serious incident. The race was stopped.
Paramedics got the scene quickly to attend to the Italian, who is thought to have been in cardiac arrest when the medics got to the crash scene. It soon became clear that the race was going to be abandoned. Recently crowned champion Casey Stoner told the BBC of his fears when seeing the crash back on the world feed;
“As soon as I saw the footage of it, it just makes you sick inside. Whenever the helmet comes off, that’s not a good sign.”
When announcement of the decision to abandon the race came through, the crowd reacted with frustration and annoyance, although the organiser’s decision to postpone the event was hailed by many insiders within the paddock. Simoncelli succumbed to his injuries around an hour later. His fatality is the first in MotoGP since Japanese rider Dajiro Kato died at an event in Suzuka in 2003.
Tributes have poured in from around the racing world to the charismatic Italian; MotoGP fan and Red Bull Racing F1 driver Mark Webber tweeted; “RIP Marco. A special talent that will be missed. Thinking of your loved ones and all the MotoGP paddock.” Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who was on pole position for the shortened event had a publicised run-in with Simoncelli earlier this season in France; an incident that fractured the Spaniard’s collarbone. However, he also was in severe shock at what happened to his colleague;
“Many times, we ourselves forget how dangerous this sport can be and, when you lose people on the way, nothing has any meaning. It’s clear we all do what we like, what we love, but on days like today, nothing matters.”
Marco Simoncelli was one of the brightest stars in motorcycle racing, who seemed destined for great things. He won the 250cc championship in 2008, claiming the title in of all places, Malaysia. He joined the premier class of motorcycling in 2010 and had already achieved success this season; lying sixth in the standings before this event. Marco took a pole position in Catalunya and two podium results. That included a career best second place finish in the Australian round only last weekend. He had just signed with the Gresini team again for next season in a factory deal and was expected to launch a severe championship assault to the likes of Stoner, the absent Jorge Lorenzo and Pedrosa in 2012. Despite some criticism for his riding style from his fellow riders this season, Simoncelli had put aside the errors of judgement he made in Jerez, Estoril and Silverstone and was putting together a string of consistent points finishes.
At just 24 years of age, Marco Simoncelli had everything going for him. The world of motorsport has lost another colourful and flamboyant figure for the second Sunday running and MotoGP will be a poorer place without the flair and style he brought to the class.
Thoughts go out to his family and everyone in the MotoGP paddock.
Marco Simoncelli – 20 January 1987 – 23 October 2011, RIP
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