Marco Simoncelli would have turned 36 today: his memory remains indelible

On January 20, 2023, Marco Simoncelli would have turned 36 years old.

Marco Simoncelli, a never-to-be-forgotten motorcycling champion whose memory is still alive and sharp in the hearts of sports and motorcycling fans in particular, would have turned 36 today.

A birthday he would have been able to celebrate, with his histrionic character and his manner so engaging, if fate had not gotten in the way, on that horrible Sunday, October 23, 2011, that ended his existence, in a tragic sequence of events as absurd as, unfortunately, true.

On that cursed day, MotoGP was racing at Sepang and ‘Sic,’ as all his fans called him because of the television graphics (because the initials “Sim” were occupied by Julian Simon), was loaded. His season, up to that point, had been difficult for him. His great passion for racing and his unparalleled stubbornness had landed him in the crosshairs of some colleagues, especially the Spanish.

Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo, in particular, had accused him of excessive impetuosity, for some incidents in the past. But the ‘Sic’ had rolled up his sleeves and, passing over all criticism with his infectious smile, had restarted, winning a podium in Brno, the first of his MotoGP career. The glories of the 250 class and the world championship won in 2008 were still far away, however; Simoncelli demanded much more of himself and for himself, as well as for all those fans who loved him madly in his Coriano, the rest of Italy and beyond.

Ready for the race, he recorded a film for his fans. He warned everyone that he was ready for the Malaysian GP, that he had prepared as best he could, and that he wanted to prove himself. Fate, however, willed otherwise….