Emotional scenes as HRC hands over Simoncelli's bike

Shuhei Nakamoto presents the Simoncelli family with Marco's RC212V.

14 Jul 2012

Paolo Simoncelli and Nakamoto, Italian MotoGP 2012
© Gold and Goose

There were emotional scenes in the Mugello MotoGP paddock on Saturday lunchtime when HRC vice president Shuhei Nakamoto presented the late Marco Simoncelli's RC212V to his father Paolo (see below for more pictures).

Nakamoto also handed the Simoncelli family a special 'Super SIC' CBR1000RR, which will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Marco Simoncelli Foundation: http://www.marcosimoncellifondazione.it/

Honda Gresini star Simoncelli lost his life in last October's Malaysian Grand Prix, as he neared the end of his second season in the premier-class. The former 250cc world champion had already re-signed to ride a factory-spec Honda for Gresini in 2012.

The Gresini team ran in black colours for the first eight races of this season as a mark of respect, but are returning to white colours - with the Simoncelli family's blessing - from this weekend.