Sunday, 20 May 2012 11:25

The Gresini Honda rider lost control of his bike on the second lap of the circuit in Sepang and appeared to be hit by Colin Edwards and then Valentino Rossi as he slid across the track, but at 4.56pm local time it was announced he had succumbed to his injuries.Edwards also fell but escaped serious injury, while Rossi was able to return to the pits.

Simoncelli, 24  won the 250cc world championship in 2008, clinching the crown in Sepang, stepped up to MotoGP in 2010. The last fatal accident in the world championship series came when Moto2 rider Showa Tomizawa was killed at Misano last September.

"Despite their efforts, Marco sadly succumbed to his injuries at 4:56pm local time (0856 GMT)," MotoGP said in a statement on its website."Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Marco's family, friends and team at this tragic loss."

Formula One driver Mark Webber tweeted: "R.I.P Marco A special talent that will be missed... Thinking of your loved ones, and all the motogp paddock..mark."

A message on Simoncelli's Gresini Honda team website  "CIAO 'SUPER SIC'.

The Rizla Suzuki team wrote: "All at Rizla Suzuki are deeply affected by today's tragic events and send their deepest condolences to Marco's family and friends during this time of great loss."R.I.P Marco Simoncelli, 20 January 1987 - 23 October 2011 - A true competitor."

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

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

He spent four seasons with the Gilera team, in 2008 became a winner for the first time, won the title beating Alvaro Bautista.Pole positions at Catalunya and Assen and a run of six straight front row starts, although incidents in races meant he could not deliver the results he promised.

Simoncelli lost the crown to future Gresini MotoGP team-mate Aoyama He secured a MotoGP seat with Gresini for 2010 and became ever more competitive, that earned him a factory specification Honda this season. He had also secured works Honda equipment again with Gresini next season, a potential MotoGP winner of the future.

In 2011, Simoncelli was predicted to be the surprise package of the season. He finished fifth in the Qatar, before falling from the lead of the wet race at Jerez. Simoncelli secured his first MotoGP pole position, 0.016 seconds ahead of Stoner & earned his first podium in the premier class, with a third place in the Czech Republic.

R.I.P Super Sic!!You will ever be missed. Thoughts and regards to his family & friends and also to the Motogp community. Dan Wheldon died last week Sunday in a horrific crash and now Marco. It has been a nightmare of a week for the motorsport world.