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Simoncelli killed at Sepang

The 2011 Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang was cancelled on Sunday after Honda rider Marco Simoncelli was killed in a three-bike crash that also involved Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.

Edwards dislocated a shoulder and Rossi went, apparently unhurt, back to the pits but many in the crowd, though disappointed by the cancellation, waited for news on Simoncelli.

HELMET KNOCKED OFF

At 11.07am (SA time) it was announced that Simoncelli was dead.

"It is official. He is dead. He succumbed to his injuries," said an official with Dorna, the company that runs MotoGP, who spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.

Simoncelli's helmet was knocked off in the incident at turn 11 when the Italian slid with his bike across the track and into the path of Edwards and Rossi.

OTHERS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT

The race was immediately red-flagged and Simoncelli, after being attended to as he lay stricken on the Sepang tarmac, was taken by ambulance to the circuit's medical centre.

Yamaha's Edwards also fell but escaped serious injury, while Rossi was able to nurse his Ducati back to the pits.

Casey Stoner, who won his second MotoGP title at his home Australian GP the previous week, said: "As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside.

"Whenever the helmet comes off that's not a good sign."

EARLIER DEATHS

Simoncelli's death is the first in the premier class since another Honda rider, Daijiro Kato, was killed at the 2003 Japanese GP.

Shoya Tomizawa died in a crash similar to that of Simoncelli in Moto2 in 2010. He was 19.

Simoncelli, known for his shaggy afro haircut and fun-loving personality, began in the 125cc class in 2002 before moving up to the 250cc class in 2006.

He won the 250cc World title in 2008.

More details as they come in. - Whees24, Reuters

Factfile on Marco Simoncelli
Date of birth: January 20, 1987
Place of birth: Cattolica, Italy
Nationality: Italian
Teams
MotoGP: Honda (2010-2011)
250cc: Gilera (2006-2009)
125cc: Aprilia (2002-2005)
Career
Races contested: 148
Wins: 14 (12 in 250cc, 2 in 125cc)
Podiums: 31 (2 in MotoGP, 22 on 250cc, 7 in 125cc)
Pole positions: 15 (2 in MotoGP, 10 in 250cc, 3 in 125cc)
Best MotoGP result:: 2nd in Australia, 2011
Last win: Australia, 2009 - 250cc
Last pole position: Dutch GP, 2011
250cc world champion - 2008
First GP:: Czech Republic 2002
First pole position: Spain 2004
First fastest lap: Qatar 2005
First podium: Spain 2004
First win: Spain 2004

GP2 results
1 Thomas Luethi (Switzerland) Suter 36min35.114
2 Stefan Bradl (Germany) Kalex 36min35.301
3 Pol Espargaro (Spain) FTR 36min42.579
4 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Motobi 36min44.241
5 Dominique Aegerter (Switzerland) Suter 36min46.608
6 Mika Kallio (Finland) Suter 36min47.017
7 Michele Pirro (Italy) Moriwaki 36min47.682
8 Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Pons Kalex

Moto2 standings
1 Stefan Bradl (Germany) Kalex 274
2 Marc Marquez (Spain) Suter 251
3 Andrea Iannone (Italy) Suter 172
4 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Motobi 170
5 Thomas Luethi (Switzerland) Suter 151
6 Simone Corsi (Italy) FTR 127
7 Bradley Smith (Britain) Tech 3 121
8 Esteve Rabat (Spain) FTR 79
9 Dominique Aegerter (Switzerland) Suter 78
10 Yuki Takahashi (Japan) Moriwaki 77
11 Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Pons Kalex 76
12 Pol Espargaro (Spain) FTR 73
13 Scott Redding (Britain) Suter 63
14 Julian Simon (Spain) Suter 62
15 Kenan Sofuoglu (Turkey) Suter 59

125cc result
1 Maverick Vinales (Spain) Aprilia 40 mins 34.280 secs
2 Sandro Cortese (Germany) Aprilia 40min34.634
3 Johann Zarco (France) Derbi 40min36.735
4 Hector Faubel (Spain) Aprilia 40min37.201
5 Nicolas Terol (Spain) Aprilia 40min44.329
6 Jonas Folger (Germany) Aprilia 40min52.244
7 Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Malaysia) Derbi 41min12.986
8 Jakub Kornfeil (Czech Republic) Aprilia 41min13.379
9 Alberto Moncayo (Spain) Aprilia 41min13.503
10 Danny Kent (Britain) Aprilia 41min14.517
11 Efren Vazquez (Spain) Derbi 41min29.086
12 Alexis Masbou (France) KTM 41min42.171
13 Danny Webb (Britain) Mahindra 41min42.187
14 Josep Rodriguez (Spain) Aprilia 41min42.379
15 Alessandro Tonucci (Italy) Aprilia 41min42.436

125cc standings
1 Nicolas Terol (Spain) Aprilia 282
2 Johann Zarco (France) Derbi 262
3 Sandro Cortese (Germany) Aprilia 225
4 Maverick Vinales (Spain) Aprilia 223
5 Hector Faubel (Spain) Aprilia 161
6 Jonas Folger (Germany) Aprilia 150
7 Efren Vazquez (Spain) Derbi 147
8 Luis Salom (Spain) Aprilia 107
9 Sergio Gadea (Spain) Aprilia 103
10 Alberto Moncayo (Spain) Aprilia 84
11 Danny Kent (Britain) Aprilia 82
12 Jakub Kornfeil (Czech Republic) Aprilia 72
13 Adrian Martin (Spain) Aprilia 45
14 Miguel Oliveira (Portugal) Aprilia 44
15 Simone Grotzkyj (Italy) Aprilia 32
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