A great race, a tragedy : MotoGP 2011 Malaysia
I am very fond of my cousin and she is the one who gave me my first job as a volunteer during F1 2010. Hence, when she knew that I am on my holidays, without blinking she gave me a call asking whether I'll be interested to be involved.
Just so you know, volunteering comes with the money. It is not some ass-shit 'volunteer' without the moolah.
To begin with, MotoGP is not stressful. At least, it is better than F1.
MotoGP attracts more spectators than F1 and the security not that strict compared to F1. It is still secured but your tags do not need to be scanned or anything. There were many volunteers aside from myself but we're pretty much involved in the race as the media is an important part after all.
I was assigned to Friné Velilla, the MotoGP Media Officer of Dorna Sports. Blond, with a very pretty smile. You can see that she puts her all in her work and she's such a lovely woman. I love working with her coz the adrenaline is exciting and I get to meet a lot of people. So, as the assistant of said media officer, I have to make sure everything is in order, results are posted correctly to the pigeon holes, reporters are comfortable, filings, sorting the national, Italian and Spanish media highlights etc.
Usually I'll be in my cousin's office, who is the National Press Officer of SIC but I am directly under Friné and I'm on call for her and just her. Anything she asks of me, be it making sure the air cond is at its lowest, copies for press conference or whatever, it will have to be done. My guy friends who are absolutely crazy about bikes totally pawned by me. All the riders passed by our office every day so I am one of those lucky few who caught glimpses of Valentino Rossi, Andrea Devizioso, Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa. Got autographs and photos with V and A. C's not the kind to take photos or give autographs. Probably D too. N's super nice though and he's flattered when my cousin named her newborn son Hayden. (The baby is absolutely adorable by the way)
I did a lot of stupid mistakes the first two days but it gradually got better on the third. Then I got the hang of it. It was very kind of my cousin to teach me the works. I don't think I could do it correctly if it weren't for her, you know. However, there are some parts which had me all irritated and annoyed. I don't know about Malays much but these irresponsible people should just stop working if they can't do things right. It upsets me when they can't do things like photocopying and sending the documents to the pigeon holes like they're supposed to. Bloody wankers should just gtfo.
Regardless, it was a very good event. I get the honors to hold the Tissot watches (which cost some major.... RMxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) post-qualifying event as they were one of the official sponsors of MotoGP. In true spirit of the motorsport, flashes from the camera temporarily blinded my eyes in the press conference. You would really have to concentrate when you listen to them coz some of the riders' English are heavily accented with Italian. It was hot.
Without me realizing it, Sunday came. I spent the night at Allson Kelana Hotel, Nilai with Kak Sya, another fellow volunteer. It was very hectic and the tense mood kept everyone jumping. I had my eyes on my Pramac journalist in green crush all the time. His fluffy hair makes my heart flutter and his good lucks had me weak on the knees. Photographers started coming into the office for vests to get into the pitlane and it was my job to make sure that they get theirs and ensure that it gets returned later on time. Very easy.
"Hey! Can I take a photo with you?
The one with the cap said "Why don't you take a photo with him? He's more good looking,"
Blondie was being all cute, flustered.
"Why should I when I can have both of you?"
I swear to god the sentence came out differently. But then I got a photo and its all that matters.
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First race was the 125cc, followed by Moto2. After the podium ceremony, press conference takes place pronto. It was a mad run from the photocopy section to the PC room. I managed to take 2 photos of the winners (Above. Not sure if they're the 125cc or Moto2 winners) and I happily said 'congratulations' them. Nick is the one who leads the press conference and his clear, resonating voice filled up the television. It was awesome seeing him on action.
The mood got intense when MotoGP is starting. It runs about the same time Rugby World Champion runs and there were a couple of people asking whether a channel could be set up in front for them to watch. Frine denied their request. It was understandable coz people's attention could be easily swayed with the airing.
Who would have thought such a thing would happen just 2 minutes after the MotoGP has started.
An article from Monster Energy :
Marco Simoncelli. A Passion for Life. A Passion for Racing 1987-2011
The Monster Energy family has lost one of its own in a sobering example of the dangers elite athletes face every day.
Monster Energy’s rising MotoGP star Marco Simoncelli succumbed to injuries suffered in a freak accident on the second lap of the
Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. “Super Sic,” who left this world too soon, at only 24 years of age.
The tall, gangly Italian embodied the best in an extreme athlete and human being. He was as charismatic as he was driven, a favorite of young fans who admired him for his aggression on the track and free spirit off the track. His trademark was his hair, a wild, sprouting mop that seemed to have a life of its own. A week earlier, on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix where he would finish a career best second, he was asked for the dumbest question he’d ever been asked. Without a moment’s hesitation, he said, “When are you going to cut your hair?” he said with a smile, always a smile.
But he was more than a mop-topped free spirit, he was a racer and a good one; he won the 250cc World Championship in 2008, took another run at it in 2009, then moved to the premier MotoGP class in 2009 with the Gresini team, based not far from his home in Cattolica, near the Adriatic Sea.
So impressed was senior management of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) with his rookie campaign, that they supplied him with a full factory Honda RC212V this season, a coveted jewel given to only three other riders. And he was making the most of it. During the 2011 World Championship he also had two pole positions, his first podium- in the Czech Grand Prix-and a career best second in the Australian Grand Prix the week before the Malaysian race.
Now that dream has ended, at a track halfway around the world, where Simoncelli left this world a better place, and doing what he showed an unabashed passion for - being a racer.
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I was devastated when the accident happened. Media Centre was in a huge uproar as the crash was bad even on live television. My bated breath stopped when I saw Sic's bike lost control, dragging him along the track causing both Edwards and Rossi to crash onto him. Imagine those who were observing everything from the rooftop. It happened really fast and I felt my eyes tearing up when the camera was on Sic's girlfriend. Even I prayed hard the figure on the track was not Sic. It was pure horror when his helmet was off. V was punching his bike to make it stop and C crawled to get back to Sic but even he couldn't do anything. Just imagine how I felt at the time when journalists were running out to see a glimpse of the incident downstairs.
The race was immediately red flagged and stopped. Angry fans (Malaysian bodoh tak sekolah perangai macam bangkai) started tossing out trash and items towards the tracks, angered by the race' cancellation.
About half an hour later, Frine came back looking like she lost a friend. It was already confirmed about Marco's passing by the higher ups and when I got the news, my chest was heavy with emotion. There's this journalist, a team member I suppose cried at the corner of Frine's office. I never felt so helpless.
I have never even met him in person but everyone says he's such a wonderful person. Second fan favourite after Rossi, known for his dare-devil, free spirit act on the track. Such a tragedy for Malaysia. First death on Sepang International Circuit.
He died doing something that he loved. Rest in peace 'Super Sic'.