Ducati Joins MotoGP Paddock in Simoncelli Tribute
Ducati has joined the MotoGP paddock in honoring the memory of Marco Simoncelli as the team prepares for the final race of 2011.
The season ending Valencia round already was set to mark a number of changes featuring the last ever race of the 800cc MotoGP era and the final ever 2-stroke race as the 125cc class transitions to the 4-stroke Moto3 championship next year. In addition, Loris Capirossi will end his motorcycle racing career with a final race on the Pramac Ducati.
All of this has been rightly overshadowed by the tragic loss of Marco Simoncelli as a result of injuries sustained during his crash in the second lap of the last MotoGP race in Sepang. The race was subsequently cancelled. Marco’s memory is being honored in many ways over the weekend.
A 16-metre wall with Simoncelli’s iconic number 58 has been put in place at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, upon which visitors to the track can write their own personal messages throughout the weekend.
link: MotoGP
The Gresini team have Marco’s #58 factory Honda on display in an empty pit garage whilst the factory Ducati team have painted their transporters with ’58 Sic nei nostri’ with 3 hearts which translates as “Sic in our hearts” (opening photo).
Simoncelli’s fellow MotoGP riders will then gather on track with their bikes on Sunday following the morning warm-up session and pay their own special respects to the former San Carlo Honda Gresini rider by eschewing the traditional minutes silence in favor of a minutes noise. Riders will create a mechanical cacophony when they rev up the engines of their machines in all classes simultaneously.
In a fitting tribute, Loris Capirossi has announced he will race his final race with the number 58 on his Pramac Ducati. Finally, in just breaking news, the Misano Circuit has announced it will be renaming itself ‘Marco Simoncelli’ in honor of the Italian who lived just a few kilometers from the track in Coriano.
Sources: MotoCuattro, @birtymotogp, @Asphalt_Rubber
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