KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Italian rider Marco Simoncelli died Sunday after crashing and being hit by two other riders at the Malaysian MotoGP motorcycle race. He was 24.
After the crash, Simoncelli was taken to the medical center at the Sepang circuit where he died of chest, head and neck injuries, organizers said.
"He was already unconscious when the medical team arrived (at the track)," MotoGP medical director Michele Macchiagodena said. "We attempted to resuscitate him but failed. He died 45 minutes later."
The race, the second last of the season, was canceled.
Simoncelli lost control of his Honda at turn 11 four minutes into the race and swerved across the track, straight into the path of American Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi of Italy.
Macchiagodena said that Edwards had suffered a dislocated shoulder in the crash. It was reset under anesthesia and the American was "fine."
Simoncelli's helmet was ripped off in the incident and he lay motionless on the track after the collision. He had been fourth at the end of the first lap.
"Quite clearly the consequences and circumstances surrounding the accident will be thoroughly investigated," race director Paul Butler said.
Newly crowned MotoGP champion Casey Stoner said after the crash that he feared for Simoncelli.
"As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside," the Australian told the BBC. "Whenever the helmet comes off that's not a good sign."
Simoncelli's death comes a week after British racing driver Dan Wheldon was killed in a multi-car crash at an IndyCar race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Simoncelli's was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan's Daijiro Katoh died from injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
It also raised the number of recorded deaths in MotoGP to 47 since it was founded in 1949, according to a MotoGP official.
Last year, Japanese teenager Shoya Tomizawa died after crashing in a Moto2 race at San Marino.
The Italian motorcycling federation canceled all events planned for Sunday at the Mugello circuit near Florence.
Players in Sunday's topflight football matches, including Simoncelli's favorite team AC Milan, donned black armbands in his memory.
Italian Olympic Committee president Gianni Petrucci, said Sunday marked the saddest day of his presidency.
"Life is sacred; you shouldn't die at age 24 just for a race," he said.
Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa, who had a dispute with Simoncelli earlier this season, said the paddock was stunned by the accident.
"In a tragedy like this there is not much to say. I just want to give my condolences to his family and all the people who love him. I've been with his father and all we could do was to hug, nothing else matters," Pedrosa said.
"Many times we ourselves forget how dangerous this sport can be and when you lose people on the way nothing has any meaning. It's clear that we all do what we like, what we love, but on days like today nothing matters."
SEPANG: Italian MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli died Sunday following his crash during the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix here.
The race was cancelled in the wake of the horrific accident that killed Simoncelli as he slid across the track while riding his Honda. Yamaha's Colin Edwards and Ducati's Valentino Rossi were also injured in the incident.
The 24-year-old's helmet came off with the strong impact of the crash.
Simoncelli was immediately was rushed to the circuit's medical centre where he was declared dead.
Simoncelli's death is the first in the premier class category since another Honda rider, Daijiro Kato, was killed at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
Simoncelli won the 250cc world championship in 2008.