Saturday, October 29, 2011

2011 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix

Italian rider Marco Simoncelli died Sunday after crashing and being hit by two other riders at the Malaysian MotoGP

Marco Simoncelli ( 20 January 1987 – 23 October 2011) was an Italian motorcycle racer. He competed in the Road Racing World Championship for 10 years from 2002 to 2011. He started in the 125cc class before moving up to the 250cc class in 2006. He won the 250cc World Championship with Gilera in 2008. After four years in the intermediate class, he stepped up to the MotoGP class with theHonda Gresini Team.

Simoncelli died after an accident during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang on 23 October 2011.He was involved in a collision with Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi during the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit. In fourth position during lap two, Simoncelli's bike lost traction in Turn 11 and it started to slide towards the gravel, but the tyres regained traction and his bike suddenly veered across the track into the path of Edwards and Rossi, with Simoncelli hanging down on the right side.

Edwards also fell from his machine and suffered a dislocated shoulder. After sliding down the track surface Simoncelli lay still, his helmet having come off during the incident. The race was immediately red-flagged. Simoncelli was taken by ambulance to the circuit's medical centre, but at 16:56 local time it was announced that he had died from his injuries.