Sad news today in the world of MotoGP racing: 24 year-old racer Marco Simoncelli was killed after he lost control of his Honda and intersected the paths of Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards. Simoncelli's helmet flew off in the freak accident, which was the first fatality at Malaysia's Sepang track and the first loss of a MotoGP rider since Daijiro Katoh's death at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
Simoncelli was nicknamed "Super Sic" and known for his trademark wild hair and aggressive riding style. Rossi once said of Simoncelli, "Going into a duel with him is like going into a fight with someone bigger than you. You know he's going to take you."
Prior to the Sepang race, Simoncelli achieved a career-best second place finish at Phillip Island, and expressed confidence at the possibility of winning the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Related:
- 19 Year-Old Moto2 Rider Shoya Tomizawa Dies at San Marino Grand Prix Crash
- Exclusive Interview with Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo
- Red Bull Rookie MotoGP Series Puts Teens in the Saddle
- MotoGP is Even More Intense at 1,000 Frames per Second
Photo © Getty Images
Click to enlarge
What a tragedy! There was most definitely a MGP championship(s) in his future. Despite having nowhere to go and being absolutely blameless, I can’t image what Rossi and Edwards are feeling right now, to say nothing of the Simoncelli family. Rossi and Sic had been very good friends for many years, and Rossi & Edwards remain very good friends. They will probably re-play those few seconds in their minds for a very long time.
This is very similar to the accident that took Shoya Tomizawa last year. Both very survivable, except for the riders behind you who are powerless to avoid you. Spies bailed off last weekend at 170MPH and while he’s banged up pretty good, he ‘walked’ away from it. This sort of situation is another thing entirely.
Godspeed Marco.
Pete,
Indeed, must’ve been a traumatic experience for Rossi and Edwards, but based on the footage it seems that Simoncelli veered back on track from their blind side, leaving them with no forewarning (or choice.)
I saw Simoncelli crash out at Laguna Seca on the heels of a strong points run; seems he was hungry enough to keep pushing the edge, always riding that fine point of the razor’s edge that every pro racer must dance upon.
Coming so soon after Dan Wheldon’s death, I’m sure this will fuel the mainstream media’s perception that racing is a blood sport… but I prefer Hemingway’s assessment: “There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.”
Basem
Absolutely true…Edwards & Rossi had no warning and no chance of escaping that.
Those are the best 17 or 18 riders in the world and they only stay that way by riding at 110% every time they get on the bike.
And again very true that this will bring out the “OMG – racing cars & bikes is dangerous” crowd that want all forms of motorsports banned, or slowed down to 70 MPH.
The only thing they fail to realize is – the people involved in the sport know far better than they do how dangerous it is.
And the E.H. quote is a classic, as well as bang on.
How long will it take before some idiot comes on to tell everyone that helmets don’t save lives, so he’s not gonna wear one?
One can’t help but wonder about the effect of all that hair upon the essential close fit of Marco’s helmet. I really hope that that question is answered in the
dailed investigation.
I dont feel sorry for him or his family. He chose to put his life on the line and he lost. Tough break but thats what he chose
Get some help………
As a 64 year old rider and moto gp fan I was a frequent critic of Marco’s HARD and risky style. Over the 2011 season I’ve watched him mature into one of the most exciting and competent racers on the track. At the time of his tragic passing I was a full-fledged FAN.
Back in the early 1970’s I had hair exactly like Marco’s and I often rode my motorcycle without a helmet. I started wearing one religiously after meeting a bright young man who brain was badly damaged in a crash. He wasn’t quite a vegetable but his ilife was forever diminished by another reckless driver who ran him off the road.
I too am very interested in the connection between long, bushy hair and a correct fitting helmet. These days my hair is a #2 grade clip guard skin-head and my helmet fits snug and my scalp doesn’t sweat like it used to. I am curious to see if moto gp adopts new safety regulations to assure a better fit.
In any event I will miss Marco’s grit and sparkle very much. Rest in Peace Marco you inspired us with your race with life.
I will miss seeing him. I’ve only been a GP fan for about 3 years now. The talent these Riders have is nothing short of amazing! This is tragic for His family and whole motorcycle racing community. I also think He would like for everyone to finish out the season strong.
As a racer, I have had family and friends come to me saying I am crazy for doing it. That racing is so dangerous. Yes it is. But so is driving on the highway. Or hell, just stepping out your front door anymore. But once its in you, its in you. Nothing that happens will ever change that. Its a risk we all take every time we go out on the track. Marco knew that going into it, but its still very sad what happened in this “Freak Accident”. I would like to know why the helmet failed. Tight fit on the shell it self would not matter if based on his hair in that crash. In the video you can clearly see that the chin strap broke on one side. That is a lot of force being put on plastic, foam, and nylon. I would not be surprised that over time the design of the chin strap changes.
Chris, this is Wallgreens calling to let you know your prescription is ready for pickup…
Thank you
FrankG …
Good one!
Brian has it right I believe the strap broke on one side, and while the inertia of the bike and the fact Marco was trying to save the crash on his knee, you can almost see the point at which the helmet broke from the impact with Colins front tire. I will miss him and the way he rode…I really think he was fast becoming one of the “faster” riders on the circut.
P.S. FrankG spot on!!!
A lot of folks are pointing to the helmet failure as an issue when it really isn’t. The blunt force of two motorcycles t-boning his body makes for an unsurvivable accident. The helmet was pushed forward over his brow by the impact of Rossi’s front wheel at about neck level. There’s no way any kind of strap would have been able to hold that helmet on.
All that being said, it didn’t matter. Marco’s father said it best. He was dead the instant the two bikes impacted him. Nothing could have saved him.
Nate…well said & very true.
A lot has been said about the ‘failure’ of AGV helmets and how much hair Marco had. If there is any fault to be found with AGV, it will be found with every helmet ever made…at least the ‘brand’ names. The force necessary to rip a helmet off someones head is off the charts…much less a series of events that could not be duplicated in a 10,000 crashes.
And as far as the people who feel his hair was a factor…give ur head a shake.
Let it go down as a freak & tragic accident with no blame to be assigned.
More than “blaming” the hair, personally I would like to find out if it really had anything to do with it, since I have pretty much the same hair. I don;t race or ride fast at all, but I’t would be good to know if all that hair has anything to do with our safety.
Other than that I think what happened is terribly sad news for all the motorcycling community.
RIde safe everyone and R.I.P Marco!!