Tragedy struck the world of motorcycling on Sunday with the death of Luca Salvadori. The Italian, a former MotoE, CIV (Italian Speed Championship) and World Supersport 600 and Superstock 1000 rider, died from injuries sustained in a serious accident during the IRRC (International Road Racing Championship) round in Frohburg.
The entire international two-wheel scene rallied around his family and mourned his passing, because, beyond the obvious trauma of the death of a colleague, the Italian was much loved for his outreach work on social media, which had made him a very popular rider.
Gestures towards him have been many, but few will be more beautiful than those dedicated to him by his rivals in the National Trophy 1000, a category in which Salvadori was leading the general classification. The team he was fighting with, Pistard, and the driver Filippo Rovelli have confirmed that they will not compete in the last races of the championship as a sign of respect and that Salvadori will be crowned champion posthumously, as a tribute.
Gianluca Galesi, team principal, confirmed the decision in a statement on his social media: “I still can’t believe it. Luca was a fantastic guy, good, sweet, nice. Those who, like me, had the pleasure and fortune of knowing him, know who he was. He said that maybe he wouldn’t go (to Frohburg) to save the bike, in the end he went and won’t come back”.
“Filippo Rovelli and I discussed whether or not to go to Imola and we came to the conclusion that, obviously, there is no need to even ask. We will not be present at Imola or Cervesina to race. We will be there as a team, but only to say hello. We want to make sure that Luca, even if he is no longer here, can celebrate from up there the title of the National Trophy 1000 that he has been chasing for so many years. The only way to say goodbye to him is not to participate in the last two races, so that he can win the title he has always wanted”.
Rovelli, for his part, had other words of remembrance for him: “Luca, our paths have crossed on the track for years, but never like this time have we battled each other. Every race was a real head-to-head. We still had two races to run, two opportunities to challenge each other once again and to continue to grow together. But for me the championship ends here. It makes no sense to continue without you on the track, without your determination, without your talent. This title is yours, Luca, and you deservedly earned it, race after race. I would have liked to celebrate it in a different way, shaking your hand and telling you in person that you were the best. This championship is yours and will always be yours”, he concluded.
#Rovelli #pays #homage #Salvadori #withdraws #National #leave #title
