Tribute to Fausto Gresini this Sunday in F1 and MotoGP
The world of MotoGP and Formula 1 will gather this Sunday to observe a moment of silence in honor of that great name in motorsport, Fausto Gresini.
Fausto Gresini, double 125cc motorcycle world champion in 1985 and 1987 and manager of his own team Honda Gresini Racing from 1997 to 2021, passed away due to Covid-19 last February.
As an iconic figure in motor racing, MotoGP had already observed a minute of silence for Fausto Gresini in March during the Qatar Grand Prix. However, this weekend, Formula 1 is setting up in Imola for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Gresini’s hometown. Therefore, as a mark of respect, the F1 paddock in Imola and the MotoGP paddock in Portimao will pay tribute to the former double 125cc MotoGP world champion.
In a short statement from MotoGP, they declare: “In tribute to the great Italian who passed away, a minute of silence will be observed during the Pirelli Formula 1 Made In Italy E Dell’emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the MotoGP 888 Portugal Grand Prix, Sunday at 1:42 p.m. in Imola and at 12:42 p.m. in Portimao.”
At the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1, will be joined in the paddock by members of the Gresini family to observe a minute of silence. At the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, motorcycles, riders, and the Gresini team members from the MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 categories will gather in front of the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini box before the MotoGP race, joined by the president of the FIM, Jorge Viegas, and the CEO of Dorna Sports, Carmelo Ezpeleta, to pay tribute.
« In tribute to the great late Italian »
The Gresini team continued to race in 2021, with plans to return to independent status in MotoGP in 2022, which are still ongoing. The Gresini Racing team is present in four different motorcycle championships, namely MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3, MotoE.
The Aprilia RS-GP of Aleix Espargaro and Lorenzo Savadori, whose factory is jointly managed with Gresini Racing, will also pay tribute to the late Gresini this season.
From his 47 podium finishes, 17 pole positions, and 21 victories in 132 125cc motorcycle races, Fausto Gresini left his mark on his sport. This Sunday, the elite of the automotive sport world will rally one last time in honor of this great athlete and team manager that he was.
