Fans and teams rally behind Riders for Health

In the first European 'Riders for Health' event of 2007 today in Jerez, coinciding with the first European date of the MotoGP season, fans today got the chance to undertake laps of the famous southern Spanish circuit and get behind the scenes in the pit lane.

Of course this weekend sees the first European stage of the World Championship as the Grand Prix teams visit Andalusia for the Gran Premio bwin.com de España and there has been plenty of activity from the MotoGP grid to support their official charity.

The Italian pair of Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi signed autographs for some of the fans who had each contributed a fee to access the track and the pitlane – with all proceeds going to Riders for Health.

As has become the tradition an on track 'ride in' took place, allowing bikers to lap the Grand Prix circuit, while the paddock was also opened up to the crowd. Indeed, a group of football players from Osasuna of Spain's La Liga, who are coincidentally staying at a hotel near the racetrack, were amongst those who took the opportunity to visit the MotoGP paddock and check out the pitlane.

Riders For Health, the Official MotoGP Charity, which works to develop a sustainable transport system to improve healthcare delivery in Africa, last year celebrated ten years of existence and currently manages 1,274 vehicles – such as motorcycles, trucks and ambulances – in some of the continent's most poverty stricken regions.