The entire GP community has been paying their respects to Marco Simoncelli during this Valencia weekend and after Paolo Simoncelli’s request that his son Marco be honoured with a minute of ‘casino’ by all three Grand Prix racing classes and this will now include an honour lap.
Tomorrow morning following MotoGP’s warm-up practice, at 10.
10 am local time, all three categories will leave the pit lane as a group, and complete a lap of the 4.
005 km Ricardo Tormo circuit in honour of Simoncelli.
1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz who was a close friend of Simoncelli (his tribute to Marco can be read here) will don special leathers and a tribute helmet and will lead the group riding Simoncelli’s #58 Honda Gresini RC212V bike.
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 alongside Simoncelli’s family and members of the Gresini team.
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.