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.”
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