SIMONCELLI’S FAMILY REMEMBERS HIM AT SEPANG 15 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH

Marco Simoncelli’s family and the SIC58 Squadra Corse team have remembered the Italian rider at Sepang, the circuit where he died in a crash during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. His parents, Paolo and Rossella, shared a tribute on social media ahead of this year’s race, alongside photographs of the plaque marking the site of the accident.

“Some places hold memories that will never fade. Always with us, Marco,” the message read.

Simoncelli was 24 when he was killed on the second lap of the race on 23 October 2011. Sepang carries another defining memory for his family: he clinched the 250cc world championship there in 2008. The circuit’s name is also reflected in his familiar nickname, “SuperSic”, and its initials.

A popular but often controversial figure on track, Simoncelli was known for his forceful riding and exuberant personality. He made his MotoGP debut in 2010 with Gresini Honda after winning the 250cc title. He remained with the team for 2011, earning his first premier-class podium in the Czech Grand Prix and a second at Phillip Island, shortly before his death.

His father later founded SIC58 Squadra Corse in his son’s memory. Tributes have continued across the paddock: riders visit the Sepang plaque whenever they return, while Misano World Circuit was renamed in Simoncelli’s honour in 2012. The circuit is near Coriano, his hometown on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

Gresini also paid tribute earlier this year at the San Marino Grand Prix, running a special livery inspired by San Carlo as part of its 30th-anniversary celebrations. Fifteen years after his death, Sepang remains both the place of Simoncelli’s greatest career achievement and the site of a loss still remembered by his family and the MotoGP community.