Ahead of what will be an emotional weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, where the final round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship takes place this weekend, the customary pre-event press conference took place on Thursday afternoon.

This weekend will see the MotoGP paddock pay tribute to Marco Simoncelli just two weeks after he passed away in Malaysia, and following the unveiling of his bike in the Gresini Team’s garage for the weekend earlier in the day his fellow riders are determined to put on a show in honour of the Italian.

2011 World Champion Casey Stoner was the first to speak at the press conference and the Repsol Honda rider said: “This race weekend will be something a little different, maybe something a little more special and hopefully everything goes smoothly. We’ve had a long time to think over these past two weeks, about what actually happened and what racing means to you.”

Rain at the track on Thursday gave a hint of what conditions could be expected to be like this weekend, and Stoner commented: “These wet conditions can be a little bit tricky on this track. It can be a little bit patchy with regards to where the grip is and isn’t at times, so we’ll just have to see how the weather plays out this weekend. In general a MotoGP bike is a bit physical to push around here quite fast but the track it is wide and open enough to get the bike flowing.”

Following the weekend the premier class will test the new 2012 machines on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Stoner added: “It’s going to have been a while since we had the last test and hopefully we’ve been able to change and improve a few things since then. We’ll have to understand what we have and what we need to improve for next year. Now we have the race this weekend and after that we can think about what we need to test.”

Ben Spies looks all set to seal fifth position in the standings and the Yamaha Factory Racing rider echoed his fellow riders’ sentiments by stating that a good final race would be a fitting tribute to Simoncelli.

“When we think about what’s happened over the past couple of weeks it’s hard to come to the last race with the emotions we feel, but everybody knows Marco would want us to race,” said the American. “We have to pull together, do the best we can and put on the best race we can for him and everybody else.”

After missing the race in Australia and sitting out the start of the Malaysian GP due to injury, Spies added: “I feel a lot better, I needed a rest. The crash in Australia was pretty big, but now my condition is the least of my worries. I want to get through this race, do the best I can for Yamaha and then move on to the test.”

Valentino Rossi is also prepared to make this weekend an appropriate tribute to his friend.

“It’s been difficult, I’ve tried to stay as much as possible with Paolo (Simoncelli) and the family of Marco who are my friends,” said Rossi. “The feeling in Italy was unbelievable and great for Marco because a lot of people remembered him from all over Italy and demonstrated they liked him a lot on and off the track. In a bad moment like this the atmosphere was great with a lot of people who wanted to say ciao to Marco. It’s good to be here in Valencia. It’s a strange feeling for everybody but I think it’s the best way to remember Marco.”

Once the final race is completed on Sunday the Ducati Team’s attentions will also turn to the test, about which Rossi commented: “On Tuesday we’ll have an important moment for next year because it’s the first time all the 1000cc bikes are on track together. We’ll work and we expect we’ll have to fix some problems but it will be interesting to try the new bike together with the Honda and the Yamaha. But first we have the race, we have to concentrate on that and make a good result, especially to remember Marco.”

Álvaro Bautista was also keen to honour Simoncelli’s memory, following up Rossi’s words with similar sentiments. The Rizla Suzuki rider also said he will make a decision on his future on Sunday evening following the race.

“I have news about next year, but I prefer to concentrate on the weekend,” said Bautista, who gave little away. “I’m talking with the team I have the offer from, for sure I would like to have a decision now but I still cannot decide. I hope to make it after Sunday’s race. I want to concentrate and finish the year with a good race.”

This weekend will also see the conclusion of one of the most lengthy and distinguished careers in the history of the World Championship. Loris Capirossi is set to start his 328th and final Grand Prix, bringing down the curtain on a career which has spanned 22 seasons, three World Championship titles and 99 podiums.

Capirossi’s first words were about his friend Simoncelli, and he said: “The situation is strange for everyone. We are all here and we try never to forget Marco – this is really important because he is part of our life and always tried to do his best. For this I want to keep his honour and I want to use his number 58 on my bike for this race. I really hope he is happy about that and that I can achieve the same result as he could. I will do my best for him and after this race I will of course retire as planned. I am happy because after 22 seasons it’s a good time to stop. There are a lot of strong riders and it’s good to do something else.”

Capirossi concluded: “Like all stories start, they all finish and mine is finished. After this race I have my family and something good I think I can do with my life.”

Misano circuit name to be associated with Simoncelli

The board of directors of Santamonica Spa has unanimously accepted a proposal to associate the name of the Misano circuit with Marco Simoncelli.

The board of directors decided unanimously to accept the proposal of associating the name of its sports facilities at Misano with the late MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli.

“We owe it to the memory of Sic,” said Lucas Colaiacovo, Vice President of the circuit. “We owe it to his family, to the hundreds of thousands of fans who admired his courage and humanity, all of the individuals in the sporting world and media who support this spontaneous and moving proposal. We are pleased and proud to associate the Misano circuit with Marco Simoncelli, a champion in sport and in life.”

“Within the next few hours we will contact the family to announce our decision and thank them for their willingness they have offered during this difficult time. Marco will be forever with us, thanks to the initiatives that will come together in the coming months,” added Colaiacovo.

Within their formal legal request for the name association, the Council of Santamonica Spa stressed that Simoncelli’s name will not be used for marketing or brand related commercial activities related to the Misano circuit.

Another tribute to the memory of Marco Simoncelli was seen this evening at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. The San Carlo Honda Gresini team set up its box with the number 58 bike on display, with a banner at the back of the garage featuring a portrait of the late Italian racer and a moving tribute that reads (in Italian): “Goodbye Marco, it was and honor and privilege to work with you.”

Simoncelli remembered throughout Valencia weekend

Tributes are being paid to the Italian at the final race of the 2011 season, and his fellow MotoGP riders will gather on track with their bikes on Sunday.

Marco Simoncelli’s memory is being honoured in a number of ways at this weekend’s Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana, the final round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship.

Just under two weeks on from the 24 year-old’s tragic death in Malaysia the entire MotoGP community is marking the close of the 2011 season with a series of fitting tributes to the charismatic and popular rider.

A 16-metre wall with Simoncelli’s iconic number 58 has been put in place at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, upon which visitors to the track can write their own personal messages throughout the weekend.

Simoncelli’s fellow MotoGP riders will then gather on track with their bikes on Sunday following the morning warm-up session and pay their own special respects to the former San Carlo Honda Gresini rider.

Grand Prix racing numbers: Valencia

Interesting facts and statistics ahead of the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana.

750 – The MotoGP race in Valencia will be the 750th premier-class Grand Prix counting towards the world championship.

380 – Honda clinched the MotoGP constructors title at the Australian Grand Prix; their eighteenth in the premier-class. Starting the race with a total of 380 points, a win for one of their riders at the Valencia GP and Honda will set a new record points’ total in the MotoGP constructers’ championship. The current record was set last year by Yamaha with 404 points.

150 – Maverick Vinales’ win at Sepang was the 150th victory for Aprilia in the 125cc class of Grand Prix racing. Only Honda have more 125cc GP wins than Aprilia, with 164.

100 – Following the cancellation of the Malaysian race, Casey Stoner is now scheduled to make his 100th start in the premier-class at the Valencian Grand Prix.

58 – Casey Stoner’s victory in Australia was the 58th time he has stood on the podium in the MotoGP class, the same number of podium finishes as Randy Mamola achieved during his career. Only five riders have finished on the podium more times than Stoner in the premier-class; Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan, Giacomo Agostini, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey.

39 – Casey Stoner’s win at the Australian Grand Prix was the 39th time he has stood on the top step of the podium in Grand Prix racing. This is one more GP victory than great rivals Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, and places him equal tenth in the all-time GP winners table with Carlo Ubbiali who won nine titles across the 125cc and 250cc class between 1951 and 1960.

32 – The win for Casey Stoner in Australia was his 32nd victory in the MotoGP class. This is one more premier-class victory than Eddie Lawson achieved during his career and places Stoner in fifth position in the all-time winners list after; Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan and Mike Hailwood.

16 – If Casey Stoner finishes in the top three at Valencia, it will be his 16th podium finish of the year, equalling the record for most podium finishes in a single season in the premier-class previously achieved by Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

15 – Maverick Vinales’ win in Malaysia was the fifteenth victory of the year for Aprilia in the 125cc class. This is a new record for most wins in the 125cc class by one manufacturer in a single season.

14 – Casey Stoner’s win in Australia was the fourteenth successive race at which he has finished on the podium, which is one of the longest podium sequences of all-time in the premier-class. Only Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan, Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi have had longer sequences of successive Grand Prix podium finishes in the 62-year history of the premier-class.

6 – On race day in Valencia it will be exactly six years to the day that Thomas Luthi clinched the 125cc world title at the final race of 2005 at the Ricardo Tormo circuit.

5 – Since the introduction of the four-stroke MotoGP formula in 2002, Honda have been the most successful manufacturer at the Valencia circuit with five victories. Both Ducati and Yamaha have had two MotoGP wins in Valencia.

4 – The premier-class race at Valencia has been won four times by Spanish riders; Sete Gibernau won the 500cc race on a Suzuki in 2001, Dani Pedrosa won the MotoGP race in both 2007 & 2009, and Jorge Lorenzo won last year.