Last December, Aligi Deganello who was the late Marco Simoncelli’s crewchief and now is Max Biaggi’s crewchief in World Superbikes suggested that with all the experience that Paolo Simoncelli has, he should work with a racing team in one form or another, and now rumors in Italy actually suggest that Simoncelli Sr. might be actually forming his own team with the help of Aldo Drudi.

Drudi as everyone knows is the famed graphic designer of Drudi Performance and is responsible for the designs on Valentino Rossi’s helmets, Simoncelli’s and many other riders and team liveries.

In an interview with Italian website moto.it Drudi sort of quashed the rumor, but did admit that he and Paolo have been talking about it and thinks that this would be a great way to keep Marco’s name alive in pro-active way and believes that Simoncelli’s dad could really help a talented young rider.

Drudi also said that while he isn’t a talent scout, he is a motorcycle racing fan and if this project should actually come around he’d be fully behind it and already has an idea for the #58 Sic Racing Team livery, white, red and black, Marco’s colours.

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The late Marco Simoncelli is still very sorely missed in Italy and his wonderful family is trying to keep his memory alive with the Marco Simoncelli Foundation and dad Paolo is often invited to talk about how his son was.

In a recent visit to the Einaudì High School at Porto Sant’Elpidio (Fermo), Paolo told the students about how his son would often visit institutes for the disabled when he wasn’t racing and when he’d come out he’d tell me, “See daddy, people should come to these places more often, they’d comprehend things a lot more. Marco was such a better person than I am,” said Simoncelli

Paolo Simoncelli movingly tells ancedotes about his son, “Life without Marco is hard, but the affection that these students give us is wonderful and hearwarming. For five years I attended the Montani school in Fermo where I graduated as an electronics technician and during the 20th class reunion, I decided to go by motorcycle and brought Marco who was five at that time with me and he fell asleep on the way and I almost had to tie him to stop from falling off.”

It isn’t easy for Paul Simoncelli who has trouble holding back the tears while signing autographs, but he added ” the legacy that Marco left and the foundation that we set up to raise funds for people with disabilities and in a short period of time we’ve raised more than 700,000 euros, which is extraordinary.”

Source | racing.blogosfere.it

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A non-profit foundation in memory of Marco Simoncelli came from an idea of Carlo Pernat and the Simoncelli family embraced the idea wholeheartedly and now the foundation has been legally formed.

The president of the foundation will be Rossella, Marco’s mother, while Paolo Simoncelli’s sister Angela and Dr. Arnaldo Cappellini will be the board members. Sister Martina and girlfriend Kate, with assistance from close friends Carlo Pernat (Simoncelli’s manager) and Paolo Beltramo (Mediaset MotoGP journalist and co-author of Simoncelli’s autobiography) will offer their help.

“There’s all the promises that this big dream to keep Marco’s memory alive will turn into something very important and help those who are worse off than we are,” said Paolo Simoncelli. “It is hard for me to say now where and how the funds raised will be distributed because at the moment I can’t assess the amount of money we’ll have available as time goes by. One thing is certain, I will try and manage all this as a good father.”

Continue reading: The Marco Simoncelli Foundation

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Aligi Deganello was the late Marco Simoncelli’s crewchief from 2007 and Simoncelli had insisted bringing his beloved crewchief and 250cc pit crew into MotoGP after winning the 250cc title despite Fausto Gresini’s doubts regarding the team’s complete inexperience in setting up a MotoGP bike, now Deganello has decided after much pondering to give up the GP paddock and become Max Biaggi’s new crew chief in World Superbikes, after the defection of Giovanni Sandi and Enrico Folegnani’s refusal.

For Deganello is wasn’t an easy decision to make, but he needed the change as he said in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, “I spoke with Max, he seemed particularly betrayed by the man he thought was almost like a father. He has a huge desire for re-win the championship and at this point this will be my mission, to give him the tools to win races and maybe even the title. The team is made up of two guys who were with Camier, one from inside Aprilia’s development team and the other is a telemetrist. Immediately after the holidays we’re going to Aprilia to put together the bikes and then to Australia for the last tests ahead of the start of the championship season. I’m may lose sight of some old friends and I’m sorry, but I need this radical change. “

It was Paolo Simoncelli, Marco’s father who recommended that Deganello make the move: “Before going to Noale to hear what they had to offer me, I called Paolo Simoncelli, my “manager.” Basically we talk almost every day and he told me to accept the offer by saying - See, it’s a signal that Marco is sending you, the situation is almost impossible to imagine, with Sandi leaving. Go .. and see if there’s also a job for me - I don’t think this will happen. For me Paolo should work with the Federation, with kids in the minibike championship or for promotional championships, with his experience he’d be the perfect person.

Continue reading: Aligi Deganello is Max Biaggi's new crewchief

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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.

Source | motogp.com

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‘Casino’ is an Italian slang word that can mean racket, mess or make some noise, and this is what Paolo Simoncelli would like instead of the de rigueur minute of silence for his son Marco, at the upcoming Valencia GP.

Simoncelli Sr. is simply requesting what many motorcycle groups do when a member passes away, to hear the howling sounds of dozens of revving bikes and in this case it would be to hear all the MotoGP, Moto2 and 125cc bikes, all revving together at the Spanish track.

Regarding the idea of naming Misano World Circuit after his son, Paolo Simoncelli said, “It would be an immense gift, even if he liked that track less then others, but it would be a marvelous tribute and if they do it, I’d be willing to put in a museum and donate Marco’s leathers and things so fans can pay tribute to him.”

Source | sky.it

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Marco Simoncelli’s father Paolo, has decided to talk about the video that many of you have already seen, where track recuse workers dropped his son as they were rushing to put him into the waiting ambulance.

Paolo Simoncelli was arriving at the scene on a scooter when it happened, but as he’s a very special person he’s decided to play down any controversy regarding the incident.

“I was there at 10 meters from Marco. He was already dead, it didn’t change a anything,” he told reporters. “I reached for the stretcher, I took his hand, I called him, but he was already gone, there was nothing to do. Marco was dead on the spot. I want to thank the Malaysian authorities, the Italian ambassador and the circuit personnel that never left us alone for a moment. They’ve been exceptional. In Rome today, everyone was there. From the authorities to hundreds of people who stopped working to applaud Marco. If I say I am happy it would be bullshit …. but all this deep affection is a beautiful thing. ”

The Italian police are expecting over 50,000 people to attend Simoncelli’s funeral on Thursday at Coriano.

Source | virgilio.it

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