Valencia to pay tribute to Marco Simoncelli on Sunday

Saturday, 5 November 2011

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 on Sunday the entire paddock at the Ricardo Tormo circuit will gather to make a collective dedication to the late Italian rider.

At 10.10am local time on Sunday morning riders from all three categories of the World Championship have been invited to depart from Pit Lane as a group, and complete a lap of the track in honour of Simoncelli.

The procession will be led by Marco Simoncelli’s San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V bike, which will be ridden by 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz.

As the riders round the final corner of the circuit and approach the finish line they will stop just short, with local authorities and representatives of MotoGP’s governing bodies (Dorna, IRTA and the FIM) congregating on the other side of the finish line. Paddock members are also invited to be present on track and will be able to meet in a designated area.

Once the bikes have taken up their positions on the start/finish straight a two-minute Valencian Mascletà (a traditional firecracker display) will take place.