Marco Simoncelli

[~Darkseeker~]

... has died during Sepang portion of the MotoGP - After veering across and being hit by Edwards and Rossi on turn 11 of the first lap of the race. He only started in the GP last season. What a grim way to go, his helmet came off in the crash.

BBC Sport - Marco Simoncelli dies after crash in Sepang

[John Bull]

Originally Posted by ~Darkseeker~

... has died during Sepang portion of the MotoGP - After veering across and being hit by Edwards and Rossi on turn 11 of the first lap of the race. He only started in the GP last season. What a grim way to go, his helmet came off in the crash.

BBC Sport - Marco Simoncelli dies after crash in Sepang

OH dear, how sad, I am gutted to the extreme by this tragic event. His helmet came off in the crash ? Did he have his chinstrap buckled up ? Probably not, otherwise his head would have come clean off - by kind practical advice from a combat veteran, "never do your chinstrap up in action".

[David Lindon]

I think the force of the impact must have ripped it off, looked a very nasty crash indeed. Very sad, he was a good rider too

[clacker]

RIP.

2 motor racing deaths in two weeks.

[John Bull]

Originally Posted by clacker

RIP.

2 motor racing deaths in two weeks.

Well Yabba-Dabba-Doo, if you play with death, you can`t grumble if you get it.

They have their up`s and they have their down`s, they wallow in glory when it goes right and they get nobbled when it goes wrong.

Nobody is immortal, no matter what these adrenaline pumping freaks think.

[j03]

Originally Posted by JOHN BULL

OH dear, how sad, I am gutted to the extreme by this tragic event. His helmet came off in the crash ? Did he have his chinstrap buckled up ? Probably not, otherwise his head would have come clean off - by kind practical advice from a combat veteran, "never do your chinstrap up in action".

Originally Posted by JOHN BULL

Well Yabba-Dabba-Doo, if you play with death, you can`t grumble if you get it.

They have their up`s and they have their down`s, they wallow in glory when it goes right and they get nobbled when it goes wrong.

Nobody is immortal, no matter what these adrenaline pumping freaks think.

Well you've changed your tune... Can't we said RIP now, without it turning into something else? :\

[~Darkseeker~]

The MotoGP is fairly heavily regulated these days; I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have let him leave the paddock without his helmet properly secured- And MotoGP riders are all flying the flag for ATGATT really. I think it's more likely that the chin-strap snapped or just wasn't tight enough and slipped over his chin. Either way his helmet ended up on the opposite side of the track than he did. After seeing the footage of the crash I must say I've lost a little bit of faith in Rossi as a person, it looked like he tried to get going in the race again shortly after running over Marco's head and side-swiping Edwards. It was the first MotoGP race I've ever seen personally that was red-flagged before the end of the first lap.

Probably quite a tough day for the management/owners of Sepang international circuit - it's the first time anyone has died on that circuit.