Spanish fans and journalists were never tender with the late Marco Simoncelli.
His famous clashes with Spanish riders often made him a target.
The situation precipitated after the 2011 French GP and the controversial pass on Dani Pedrosa, that resulted in the Spanish rider breaking his collarbone.
It then culminated when Simoncelli was forced to attend the Catalunya GP escorted by a pair police officers after receiving death threats.
Simoncelli’s tragic death four months later however, shocked racing fans around the world and journalists back into a sobering reality, with passionate tributes and initiatives in the late rider’s name.
The latest tribute to Simoncelli comes directly from the country that had so criticized him in the past, and thanks to TVE journalist Marc Martin.
, Martin help promote and organize a small, but permanent exhibition dedicated to SuperSic, in the Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum in Barcelona.
The exhibition officially opened ahead of last week’s Catalunya GP, and present for the opening were Marco Simoncelli’s parents, Paolo and Rossella, Carlos Pernat, Dorna’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, and a number of Spanish riders like Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Toni Elias, Pol Espargaro, Julian Simon, Nico Terol, Alex Rins, Jordi Torres, but also Jakub Kornfeil, Emilio Alzamora, Albert Llovera and former Superbike rider Joan Lascorz.
The small exhibitation contains photos, racing leathers, a helmet and other mementos of Simoncelli’s brief, but intense life in GP racing.
If you hit the following link catradio.
cat you can see some photos of the touching ceremony.