Photography by Mark Wernham & James Wirth
Marco Simoncelli, 24, tragically lost his life on Sunday when he crashed while racing for fourth place on the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix and was hit by Colin Edwards. Valentino Rossi was also involved in the accident. The race was red-flagged and, eventually, cancelled.
Simoncelli, the 2008 250cc world champion and a 14-time Grand Prix winner, lost traction on his factory San Carlo Gresini Honda RC212V, fell and the tangled mess of bike and rider was projected directly into the path of Edwards. Simoncelli’s helmet came off in the crash, leaving him unprotected. Edwards suffered a dislocated shoulder. Rossi ran off the racing surface but managed to remain upright.
Simoncelli had qualified fifth for the penultimate race of the 18-round season. One week earlier at Phillip Island in Australia, the Italian had placed second behind newly crowned series champion Casey Stoner. It was Simoncelli’s second podium of the season and best finish to date in the premier MotoGP class.
Race director Paul Butler held a press conference shortly after the race was called. The press was told by MotoGP medical director Dr. Michele Macchiagodena that Simoncelli suffered trauma to the head, neck and chest. Simoncelli was unconscious when medical staff arrived, explained Macchiagodena, and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. “Unfortunately, it was not possible to help him, and at 16:56, we had to declare he was dead.”
Butler said the accident “will be thoroughly investigated. Our sympathies go to his family, and we want to show every respect possible to Marco.”
Simoncelli moved up to the MotoGP class in 2010 and was a charismatic and controversial figure. Yamaha factory rider Ben Spies, who had withdrawn from the Malaysian GP due to injuries suffered in Australia, was in the television commentary booth with broadcast regulars Gavin Emmett and Nick Harris for the race. During the pre-race show, Harris noted that Simoncelli had received a fair amount of criticism earlier in the season for his aggressive riding.
“Yeah, he has,” agreed Spies. “But he’s come back from every time that’s happened and been fast. He hasn’t let it get to him. Honestly, I haven’t had too many problems with him. We had a good race in Mugello–two hard, clean passes. I think he’s learned from his mistakes. He definitely was a little overzealous with his passes early in the season. There are only 16 or 17 [riders] on the grid, and you want to keep everybody happy.”
Simoncelli was expected to remain with Honda in 2012. “Marco was a very nice guy and a very talented rider,” said HRC VP Shuhei Nakamoto. “Sometimes, I was a little harsh with him, but I wanted to motivate him, as I knew he was able to do even more. Now, I just want to say thank you to Marco for what you gave me and pass my sincere condolences to his family at this very sad time.”
Bridgestone’s Taka Horio added, “Simoncelli’s ascent through the field in just two seasons has been fantastic to watch, testament to his raw talent, ability and dedication to the sport he so loved.”
Kenny Roberts, Jr., 2000 500cc world champion, issued the following statement: “The entire Roberts Family is deeply saddened by the news about Marco. We wish to send our condolences to his family, friends, fans and MotoGP. We will never forget him.”
“I met Simoncelli this past summer and gained a sense of his easy energy, purpose and confidence,” said Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron. “There is no number of gravel traps that can prevent this kind of accident, in which a rider is tangled up with his own bike and kinetic energy carries them unpredictably into the paths of others. It is always perplexing to confront the leap from being into non-being. How can this be? No answer is satisfactory. I am sorry for the life that is lost.”
Simoncelli’s greatest on-track rival, Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, said, “Marco was a strong rider, and he always pushed hard. We raced together since we were kids. I saw him always pushing to the maximum. He crashed many times but without major injuries. He seemed invincible. What happened today seems impossible.”
