MotoGP honours Shoya Tomizawa's memory

Confirmation of the official tributes to be made to the Japanese rider who will posthumously receive the Michel Metraux award, be honoured with a minute’s silence at Aragón this weekend and have his number 48 retired.

Just under two weeks on from the tragic death of Shoya Tomizawa, winner of the inaugural Moto2 race in Qatar in April of this year and who passed away at the Misano World Circuit on Sunday 5th September, a number of official tributes have been decided upon to honour the Japanese rider.

The entire MotoGP World Championship has reconvened in the Paddock at Aragón in Spain this weekend for the first time since Shoya's untimely passing, and is united in its wishes to ensure that the popular rider's memory is honoured. Many inside the Paddock have been making their own gestures with Shoya's Technomag-CIP team displaying a miniature version of his bike in the team garage and a large number of riders wearing the Japanese rider's number 48 on their leathers, helmets or bikes.

In Thursday's official pre-event press conference Moto2 Championship leader Toni Elías suggested that his fellow riders vote for Shoya as the recipient of this season's Michel Métraux trophy, and they have done so unanimously. The award recognises the best rider in the category as selected by his competitors and Michel Metraux’s son Olivier will present the trophy to Shoya's family at the next Grand Prix in Japan, after IRTA collected the votes at Aragón on Friday morning.

It has also been decided that in recognition of Shoya's contribution to the sport his number 48 will be retired from the Moto2 World Championship, and his family will receive a memorial plaque with his number on it.

On Sunday, following the MotoGP warm up session for the Gran Premio A-Style de Aragón and at a time yet to be confirmed, the MotoGP community will gather on the main start/finish straight of the circuit where a minute's silence will be held as a final farewell to Shoya, who was laid to rest in Japan earlier this week.

Source: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/

(Read more....)

Shoya Tomizawa funeral to take place this week

The Moto2 rider’s body was returned to Japan over the weekend and his funeral will be held on Wednesday.

Shoya Tomizawa’s body was returned to Japan on Sunday in preparation for the rider’s funeral ceremony, which is due to take place this week.

Tomizawa’s parents arrived in Italy last Monday and visited the hospital in Riccione where the 19 year-old was transferred to following his fatal crash at Misano eight days ago, and were accompanied throughout their stay until Friday by the Technomag-CIP team as they also visited the circuit.

Following the completion of the necessary paperwork in Italy Tomizawa’s body was then flown to Tokyo on Sunday and his wake will take place on Tuesday evening, to be followed by a public funeral ceremony in Asahi, near Chiba, on Wednesday.

Source:http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/

(Read more....)

MotoGP paddock united in Tomizawa grief

There was an overwhelming sadness at Misano as riders and teams expressed their sorrow at the tragic death on Sunday of Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa.

The untimely passing away of Shoya Tomizawa on Sunday provoked an array of sad reactions from the MotoGP paddock, as the sport lost a talented rider and one of its most popular figures.

Nineteen year-old Tomizawa, the first rider ever to win a Moto2 race at the start of the season, was a highly charismatic, friendly and well-liked person and tributes to him were paid by those who had been fortunate to experience his fantastic persona.

Moto2 race winner at Misano on Sunday Toni Elías said: “All I feel is sadness right now and my victory today is irrelevant. I was talking and joking with Tomizawa only yesterday in the Clinica Mobile and to think that he is no longer with us is truly awful. Even today we were out there racing together when he was in front of me before this incredible tragedy. He has left an indelible mark on my life."

Elías Team Manager Fausto Gresini, who experienced the tragedy of losing a rider when Daijiro Kato passed away at Suzuka in 2003, stated: "Today is a very sad and very tough day, when racing doesn't feel like it should. I know just how hard it is to lose a rider in these circumstances and I know the pain that his family and all the guys on the team who worked with him are feeling right now. There is little more to say.”

MotoGP race winner Dani Pedrosa reflected: “There are no words to say how it feels after this victory - it feels like nothing. It’s so sad, terrible, and these things should never happen. As a person I can only say that he was a very funny boy, always happy and making jokes, and as a rider he earned respect from everybody in a very short time, he was fast and brave.”

Jorge Lorenzo said: "I don't have many words for the race on such a sad say. It's a huge pity because he was a good guy and a strong rider. I am so sad and I just want to say how sorry I am for his family and his friends. When this happens nothing else matters."

The Spaniard’s team-mate Valentino Rossi commented: "I'm so sorry for Shoya because he was a strong rider but above all he was very ‘sympatico.' He was very funny, always smiling and he always had nice things to say to everyone. He was also very young with a great career ahead of him so we are all very sad."

Ducati rider Casey Stoner said: “I am deeply saddened for Tomizawa, his family and everybody who worked with him. It is something truly terrible and it left me breathless, like a week ago (and the death of Peter Lenz). It was a pleasure to watch him ride and I was looking forward to see him have a great career."

The Australian’s team-mate Nicky Hayden added: “I am really sad, we have lost two riders in two weekends. My thoughts are with his family and his team but I think the whole paddock has been hit hard by this tragedy. At the end of the day we are all brothers here. We have lost a talented kid with a great personality. I loved his style, his determination and the smile he always wore.”

Source: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/

(Read more....)

Shoya Tomizawa tops Sunday early run

The Japanese rider led a Technomag-CIP one-two with team-mate Aegerter in a wet Moto2 warm up at Sachsenring.

Shoya Tomizawa prepared himself for the round eight race at Sachsenring by setting the fastest time in the morning warm up session, with a best lap of 1’36.560 in the wet. With the track still gleaning with water from persistent rain, the Japanese rider led home a Technomag-CIP one-two in the session, with team-mate Dominique Aegerter 0.128s behind.

Xavier Simeon (Holiday Gym) and Yuki Takahashi (Tech 3 Racing) were inside the top four, with Championship leader Toni Elías (Gresini Racing) the highest placing front-row starter in fifth.

Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar), Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) and Anthony West (MZ Racing) completed the top eight in the 20-minute run out, with pole holder Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up) placing down in 29th.

Source: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/

(Read more....)