Simoncelli remembered at Valencia
The entire field remembers champ with ‘a minute's noise'The MotoGP paddock paid tribute to the late Marco Simoncelli at the final round of the 2011 MotoGP season at Valencia – the first race since the tragic accident at Sepang which claimed the life of the 24-year-old rising star.
After the MotoGP warm-up session, riders from all three categories completed a lap of honour of the circuit led by 500cc grand prix legend and close friend of Simoncelli, Kevin Schwantz. The entire field then congregated on the grid for ‘a minute’s noise’ – at the request of Marco’s father, Paulo – amid a traditional Valencian Mesclatà [firecracker] display while a huge banner of Simoncelli was raised on an adjacent building.?Nine-time world champion and close friend of late rider Valentino Rossi paid tribute to his fallen friend with a special helmet for the occasion which resembled the former 250cc world champion’s.
Loris Capirossi, who after more than 320 grand prix starts crossed the line for the last time in Valencia, paid tribute to his compatriot rider running Simoncelli’s #58 on his Pramac Ducati machine.
The Italian-based Misano World Circuit has also announced it will be renamed the Marco Simoncelli World Circuit to pay homage to the late rider. The circuit is the closest to the family’s home town.
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