The MotoGP community has been paying tribute to Marco Simoncelli throughout the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana weekend in a variety of ways, and this morning the entire paddock gathered to pay tribute to the late Italian rider.
Today at 10.10am (local time), riders from all three categories of the world championship were invited to depart as a group from pit lane and complete a lap of the track in honour of Simoncelli.
The procession led by Simoncelli’s San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V bike, was ridden by 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz. Dainese made a suit for Schwantz to wear during the procession, which featured Simoncelli’s racing number 58.
As the riders came to the final corner of the circuit, approaching the finish line they stopped just short, and local authorities and representatives of MotoGP’s governing bodies (Dorna, IRTA and the FIM) joined them on the other side of the finish line alongside members of the MotoGP paddock and the Gresini team.
Once the bikes had taken up their positions on the start/finish straight a two minute Valencian Mascletà (a traditional firecracker display) took place.
