RIP, Marco Simoncelli!

Italy’s Marco Simoncelli died today as a result of injuries sustained during the Malaysian MotoGP at the Sepang International Circuit.

Marco Simoncelli

The tragic accident happened four minutes into the race when Repsol Honda rider Simoncelli came off at Turn 11 of the Sepang circuit.

On the second lap, Simoncelli  lost control of his Honda bike which veered across the track and straight into the path of fellow competitors Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.

Simoncelli, 24, who had his helmet knocked off in the crash, lay motionless on the track.

American Edwards also fell but escaped with minor injury, while former multi-world champion Rossi was able to return to the pits on his Ducati.

The race was immediately red-flagged and was later cancelled when the extent of Simoncelli’s injuries become apparent

Simoncelli was rushed by ambulance to the circuit’s medical centre but at 16:56 local time it was announced he had died from his injuries.

Simoncelli was in fourth place when the accident occurred on lap two.

A message on the MotoGP website read: “Marco Simoncelli succumbed to injuries sustained in Malaysia.”

Newly-crowned champion Casey Stoner admitted immediately after the crash he had feared the worse.

“As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside,” the Australian told BBC2.

“Whenever the helmet comes off, that’s not a good sign.”

Simoncelli, who won the 250cc world championship in 2008, clinching the crown in Sepang, stepped up to MotoGP in 2010.

His death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan’s Daijiro Katoh died from his injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.

And it comes exactly a week after British racing driver Dan Wheldon, a former IndyCar champion and two-time Indy 500 race winner, was killed in a 15-car pile-up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

RIP, Simoncelli!