Marco Simoncelli 1987 – 2011
Italian motorcycle racer Marco Simoncelli died as a result of a crash during the 2011 Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix on October 23, 2011.
The 24-year-old, who rode with the San Carlo Gresini Honda team, lost control and was flung from his smashed bike after skidded across the track and into the path of competitors Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.
He was taken to a medical facility in Sepang but died of chest, head and neck injuries. His helmet flew off during the horrific crash.
Sepang circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir said, “We have our standard operating procedure … this is a one-of-a-kind freak incident where the helmet came off. FIM and MotoGP will be looking into this.”
The race was cancelled and a message on the MotoGP website read: “Marco Simoncelli succumbed to injuries sustained in Malaysia.”
Fellow rider Andrea Dovizioso said, “I watched the images and I’m shocked: in a race you fight and push hard and disaster is often around the corner. Marco was a strong rider and he always pushed hard… What happened today seems impossible.”
Check out a still photo and watch the crash video below:
The crash comes just one week after the death of British Formula 1 racer Dan Wheldon, who died in a fiery IndyCar crash at the Las Vegas Speedway.
Photos: Video Screen Grabs