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Marco Simoncelli

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Marco Simoncelli
Simoncelli during post-season testing at Valencia in 2009.
NationalityItalian
Born(1987-01-20)20 January 1987
Cattolica, Italy
Died23 October 2011(2011-10-23) (aged 24)
Sepang, Malaysia
Bike number58
Websitemarcosimoncelli.it
Motorcycle racing career statistics
MotoGP World Championship
Active years2010–2011
ManufacturersHonda
Championships0
2010 championship position8th (125 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
34 0 2 2 0 264
250cc World Championship
Active years2006–2009
ManufacturersGilera
Championships1 (2008)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
64 12 22 10 8 701
125cc World Championship
Active years2002–2005
ManufacturersAprilia
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
50 2 7 3 1 290
Superbike World Championship
Active years2009
ManufacturersAprilia
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
2 0 1 0 0 16

Marco Simoncelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmarko simon'tʃɛlli]; 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 the Honda Gresini Team. Simoncelli died after an accident during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang on 23 October 2011.

Career

Early career

Simoncelli started racing in 1996 at an early age of nine in the Italian Minimoto Championship. He won the Italian Minimoto Championship in 1999 and 2000 while also became the runner-up in the 2000 European Minimoto Championship. The following year, he stepped up to the Italian 125cc Championship and he successfully won the title in his rookie year. In 2002, he competed and won the European 125cc Championship.[1]

125cc (2002–2005)

After a successful European 125cc campaign, in August 2002, Simoncelli made his first Grand Prix appearance with Matteoni Racing, replacing Czech rider Jaroslav Huleš who stepped up to the 250cc class.[2] Simoncelli, riding an Aprilia bike with the number 37, managed to finish in 27th place in his first race at Brno.[3] In the following race at Estoril, he scored his first championship points by finishing in 13th place.[4] However, he failed to score any points in the next four races and finished the season with three points from six races.[5]

He continued with the Matteoni Racing Team for his first full season in 2003. That season, he also started to use the iconic number 58 on his bike.[6] He managed to score points in six races with a best result of fourth at Valencia, the last race of the season.[7] Overall, he scored 31 points and ranked 21st in the final championship standings.[8]

In the 2004 season, Simoncelli switched to WorldwideRace team under the name of Rauch Bravo, which also run an Aprilia bike.[9] In the second race of the season at Jerez, Simoncelli recorded his first pole position.[10] In the race, which was held in wet conditions, Simoncelli was in second place when race leader Casey Stoner crashed out with three laps remaining, handing Simoncelli his first victory.[11] However, the victory was his only podium finish for the season. He managed to score points in seven other races with a best result of sixth. He ended in 11th place in the final standings with 79 points.[12]

Simoncelli continued to ride for WorldwideRace in 2005, this time under the Nocable.it Race banner.[13] In the opening race at Jerez, he qualified first and then won the race for his second successive win at Jerez.[14] Despite failing to add another win that season, Simoncelli finished on the podium on five other occasions. His consistency earned him 177 points and a fifth place in the final standings.[15]

250cc (2006–2009)

Simoncelli at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi

In 2006, Simoncelli stepped up to the 250cc class, becoming the only rider from the top eight in previous year's 125cc class to make the step up.[15][16] He joined the Metis Gilera team, an Italian motorcycle manufacturer who returned to the intermediate class after a lengthy absence.[17] His first season saw him finish most races he finished between 7th and 10th place. His best result was 6th place in the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai. He fought for the "Rookie of the Year" title until the end, finally losing to Shuhei Aoyama by seven points, finishing 10th overall.

In 2007 he continued with the same team. His season was similar to the previous one and he was again 10th in the final standings, without a podium finish.

He had his first 250cc win at the Italian Grand Prix held at Mugello on 1 June 2008 in controversial circumstances when, with one lap to go, he leaned to the left on the long straight, possibly to block off Héctor Barberá. Barberá then crashed into him and Simoncelli won the race by 3 seconds. Barberá was lucky to emerge unscathed. Some people called for sanctions but Simoncelli escaped without penalty: on 7 June he received a verbal warning from the MotoGP Riders Safety Commission.

Simoncelli at the 2009 British Grand Prix at Donington Park

On 8 June 2008 he followed up his Italian victory at the Catalan Grand Prix after overtaking Álvaro Bautista on the last lap after Bautista ran wide with 5 corners of the race left. Simoncelli obtained his third 250cc GP victory at the Sachsenring in the Gran Prix Deutchland on 13 July 2008 when he beat Bautista and Barberá by approximately 2.5 seconds. He also won in his class at the 2008 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix held on 3–5 October 2008, narrowly defeating Bautista.

On 19 October 2008 he clinched the 2008 250cc World Championship after finishing 3rd in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

He made a one-off appearance for Aprilia in the World Superbike round at Imola in 2009. He qualified on the second row and was one of three riders to crash out of race one at Tosa while running fifth, before fighting through to third in race two, making a forceful move to overtake team-mate Max Biaggi to get onto the podium.

On 25 June 2009, it was confirmed that Simoncelli would move up to premier class racing for 2010 MotoGP championship after agreeing to ride with the San Carlo Gresini Honda team.[18]

MotoGP

2010

Simoncelli at the 2010 United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca

Simoncelli got off to a slow start to the 2010 season, having suffered two preseason testing crashes at Sepang; the second of which cracked his helmet.[19] After finishing eleventh on début, Simoncelli improved over the rest of the season, finishing 16 of the 18 races in the points en route to eighth place in the championship with 125 points. His best finish was a fourth place in Portugal, missing a podium by 0.06 seconds to Andrea Dovizioso.[20]

2011

Simoncelli at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island

In the 2011 season, Simoncelli was predicted to be the surprise package of the season.[21] He finished fifth in the season opening race in Qatar, before falling from the lead of the wet race at Jerez.[22] He secured his highest starting position to that point of 2nd, before falling on the first lap of the Estoril race.[23] During the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Simoncelli collided with Dani Pedrosa while they were battling for second. The resulting crash saw Pedrosa break his collarbone and Simoncelli received a ride-through penalty, eventually finishing fifth.[24] Simoncelli initially rejected blame for the crash, claiming he braked no later than normal, and that he left Pedrosa room.[25] Before the next race, however, he accepted that he needed to reflect on his riding style.[26]

Simoncelli was required to meet with race direction before the start of the racing weekend at Catalonia.[26][27] On the track, Simoncelli secured his first MotoGP pole position, 0.016 seconds ahead of Casey Stoner.[28] However, a poor start saw him drop to seventh managing only to recover one position to finish sixth. Simoncelli earned his first podium in the premier class, with a third place in the Czech Republic.[29] His best MotoGP finish was second place in the Australian GP at Phillip Island.

Death

Simoncelli, with a towel on his head, on the grid at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix, his final race.

On 23 October 2011, Simoncelli 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.[30]

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.[31][32][33] Later, at a press conference involving members of the MotoGP Race Direction, Medical Director Michele Macchiagodena said that Simoncelli had sustained "a very serious trauma to the head, to the neck and the chest", and was administered CPR for 45 minutes.[34]

His body was flown home to Italy, accompanied by his father Paolo, his fiancée Kate Fretti, and Valentino Rossi. The family were greeted by Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci, before the body was transported to a theatre in Coriano, Rimini, where it was placed in an open coffin. Fans and visitors were then allowed to pay their respects, in a walk-through memorial that included his 250cc World Championship winning Gilera, plus his 2011 MotoGP Honda.[35] An estimated 20,000 people attended his funeral[36] at the Santa Maria Assunta parish church in Coriano on 27 October 2011, which was broadcast live on Italia 1 and Rai 2.

Career statistics

Grand Prix World Championship

By season

Year Class Team Bike Races Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points Pos
2002 125cc Matteoni Racing Team Aprilia RS 125 6 0 0 0 0 3 33rd
2003 125cc Matteoni Racing Team Aprilia RS 125 15 0 0 0 0 31 21st
2004 125cc Rauch Bravo Aprilia RS 125 13 1 1 2 0 79 11th
2005 125cc Nocable.it Race Aprilia RS 125 16 1 6 1 1 177 5th
2006 250cc Metis Gilera Gilera RSA 250 16 0 0 0 0 92 10th
2007 250cc Metis Gilera Gilera RSA 250 17 0 0 0 0 97 10th
2008 250cc Metis Gilera Gilera RSA 250 16 6 12 7 4 281 1st
2009 250cc Metis Gilera Gilera RSA 250 15 6 10 3 4 231 3rd
2010 MotoGP San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda RC212V 18 0 0 0 0 125 8th
2011 MotoGP San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda RC212V 16 0 2 2 0 139 6th*
Total 148 14 31 15 9 1255
  • * Season in progress.

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points
2002 125cc Aprilia JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE
27 		POR
13 		BRA
21 		PAC MAL
Ret 		AUS
Ret 		VAL
Ret 		33rd 3
2003 125cc Aprilia JPN
21 		RSA
20 		SPA
14 		FRA
Ret 		ITA
17 		CAT
16 		NED
20 		GBR
16 		GER
12 		CZE
14 		POR
Ret 		BRA
11 		PAC
Ret 		MAL
11 		AUS
Ret 		VAL
4 		21st 31
2004 125cc Aprilia RSA
Ret 		SPA
1 		FRA
Ret 		ITA
Ret 		CAT
7 		NED
7 		BRA
6 		GER
10 		GBR
Ret 		CZE
19 		POR
6 		JPN
6 		QAT
6 		MAL
Ret 		AUS
Ret 		VAL 11th 79
2005 125cc Aprilia SPA
1 		POR
10 		CHN
6 		FRA
5 		ITA
Ret 		CAT
2 		NED
4 		GBR
4 		GER
3 		CZE
3 		JPN
Ret 		MAL
9 		QAT
3 		AUS
3 		TUR
6 		VAL
5 		5th 177
2006 250cc Gilera SPA
Ret 		QAT
8 		TUR
11 		CHN
6 		FRA
8 		ITA
7 		CAT
Ret 		NED
7 		GBR
10 		GER
Ret 		CZE
9 		MAL
8 		AUS
10 		JPN
9 		POR
7 		VAL
Ret 		10th 92
2007 250cc Gilera QAT
9 		SPA
Ret 		TUR
9 		CHN
Ret 		FRA
6 		ITA
9 		CAT
9 		GBR
Ret 		NED
6 		GER
7 		CZE
Ret 		RSM
Ret 		POR
7 		JPN
7 		AUS
7 		MAL
8 		VAL
11 		10th 97
2008 250cc Gilera QAT
Ret 		SPA
Ret 		POR
2 		CHN
4 		FRA
2 		ITA
1 		CAT
1 		GBR
2 		NED
3 		GER
1 		CZE
3 		RSM
6 		IND
C 		JPN
1 		AUS
1 		MAL
3 		VAL
1 		1st 281
2009 250cc Gilera QAT JPN
17 		SPA
3 		FRA
1 		ITA
2 		CAT
Ret 		NED
3 		GER
1 		GBR
4 		CZE
1 		IND
1 		RSM
Ret 		POR
1 		AUS
1 		MAL
3 		VAL
Ret 		3rd 231
2010 MotoGP Honda QAT
11 		SPA
11 		FRA
10 		ITA
9 		GBR
7 		NED
9 		CAT
Ret 		GER
6 		USA
Ret 		CZE
11 		IND
7 		RSM
14 		ARA
7 		JPN
6 		MAL
8 		AUS
6 		POR
4 		VAL
6 		8th 125
2011 MotoGP Honda QAT
5 		SPA
Ret 		POR
Ret 		FRA
5 		CAT
6 		GBR
Ret 		NED
9 		ITA
5 		GER
6 		USA
Ret 		CZE
3 		IND
12 		RSM
4 		ARA
4 		JPN
4 		AUS
2 		MAL
C 		VAL 6th* 139
  • * Season in progress.

Superbike World Championship

(key)

Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2009 Aprilia AUS AUS QAT QAT SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA RSA RSA USA USA SMR SMR GBR GBR CZE CZE GER GER ITA
Ret 		ITA
3 		FRA FRA POR POR 25th 16

References

  1. ^ "Valentino Rossi pays tribute to Marco Simoncelli". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 2002: Wins the European 125cc title
  2. ^ "2002 Gauloises GP Ceske Republiky: 125cc Entry List" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 24 August 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  3. ^ "2002 Gauloises GP Ceske Republiky: 125cc Race Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 25 August 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  4. ^ "2002 GP Marlboro de Portugal: 125cc Race Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 8 September 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  5. ^ "2002 GP Marlboro Comunitat Valencia: 125cc World Championship Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 3 November 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  6. ^ "2003 SKYY VODKA Grand Prix of Japan: 125cc Entry List" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  7. ^ "2003 GP Marlboro Comunitat Valencia: 125cc Race Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 2 November 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  8. ^ "2003 GP Marlboro Comunitat Valencia: 125cc World Championship Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 2 November 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Ready to start for the season 2004". WorldwideRace. Tinfo s.r.l. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Weather delivers Simoncelli first 125 pole". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  11. ^ "Stoner heartbreak hands Simoncelli 125 win". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 2 May 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  12. ^ "2004 GP Marlboro Comunitat Valencia: 125cc World Championship Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 31 October 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  13. ^ "2005 Gran Premio Marlboro de España: 125cc Entry List" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 7 April 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  14. ^ "Simoncelli dominates for 125cc victory". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  15. ^ a b "2005 G. P. betandwin.com Comunitat Valencia: 125cc World Championship Classification" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 6 November 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  16. ^ "2006 Gran Premio betandwin.com de España: 250cc Entry List" (PDF). MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 23 March 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  17. ^ "Squadra corse Metis Gilera". Info Motori (in Italian). Caval Service Group. 21 February 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Simoncelli signs with Gresini". InsideBikes. Carole Nash. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  19. ^ "Difficult 2010 debut now a distant memory". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  20. ^ "Andrea Dovizioso/Marco Simoncelli Podium Battle Lights Up Estoril". stayontheblack.com. Stay on the Black. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  21. ^ Roberts, Matt (15 February 2011). "Huge honour to lead MotoGP coverage". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  22. ^ "Lorenzo wins crash-crazy Spanish GP". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  23. ^ "Pedrosa picks his moment for Estoril win". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  24. ^ "Stoner flawless amid French drama". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  25. ^ "Simoncelli rejects blame for Pedrosa crash". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  26. ^ a b "Simoncelli hoping to turn the page at Barcelona". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  27. ^ Birt, Matthew (31 May 2011). "Marco Simoncelli to face Race Direction in Catalunya". Motor Cycle News. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  28. ^ "Simoncelli soars to first pole at Catalunya". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  29. ^ "Stoner conquers the Czech Republic". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 14 August 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  30. ^ "Racing mourns loss of MotoGP's brightest light". Motor Cycle News. Bauer Media Group. 26 October 2011.
  31. ^ "Marco Simoncelli dies after MotoGP crash in Sepang". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  32. ^ "Simoncelli dies from injuries suffered in Malaysian GP crash". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  33. ^ "Simoncelli dies after horrific crash". Yahoo! Eurosport. TF1 Group. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  34. ^ "Race Direction press conference: Marco Simoncelli". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  35. ^ "Fans pay respects to MotoGP star Simoncelli in his hometown". Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  36. ^ "L'ultimo saluto a Marco Simoncelli In 20.000 assistono al funerale". Libero (in Italian). WIND. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marco Simoncelli.
Sporting positions
Preceded by 125cc Motorcycle European Champion
2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by 250cc Motorcycle World Champion
2008 		Succeeded by

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