Marco Simoncelli’s #58 Officially Retired From MotoGP
Rennie Scaysbrook | September 8, 2016
Marco Simoncelli’s #58 Officially Retired From MotoGP
The late Marco Simoncelli’s famous racing number 58 has officially been retired from the MotoGP gird in a short ceremony during the pre-race press conference ahead of this weekend’s round of MotoGP World Championship at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
Simoncelli’s father Paolo Simoncelli was there to collect a special commemorative plaque from Dorna CEO Carmelo Expeleta bearing his son’s racing number, which can now only be used in MotoGP competition with the consent from the Simoncelli family.
Simoncelli lost his life in an accident during opening lap of the 2011 Malaysian MotoGP. A 250cc World Champion in 2008, Marco’s star was ascending in the premier class and he had just taken his best ever MotoGP result of second behind 2011 World Champion Casey Stoner at the Australian Grand Prix, held the round previous to that fateful Malaysian race.
It was also revealed Paolo will be back full time in the Grand Prix paddock next year with his own Moto3 team. The Italian started the ‘SIC58 Squadra Corse’ team in the wake of Marco’s accident, having competed this season in the FIM Repsol CEV series. It has not yet been confirmed which riders will front the team.