MotoGP GP of San Marino – Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
Following the unfortunate accident of Tito Rabat during the practice of the last Grand Prix of Great Britain that will take him off the tracks for a while, Reale Avintia Racing team was forced to reorganize quickly to have two riders this weekend in Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
Until Tito Rabat is ready to get back on his bike, his teammate Xavier Simeon will compete with the Spaniard’s Ducati GP17. At this stage of the season it was difficult to find an available rider with enough experience to cover Rabat seat, so Xavi was the perfect candidate.
In the other hand, to replace the place of Simeon at the San Marino Grand Prix, the frenchman Christophe Ponsson will debut with the team. The 22-year-old is one of the fastest riders in the FIM CEV Superbike Championship and he hopes to make the most of this opportunity.
It will not be the first time that the Reale Avintia Racing sees a rider making his debut in MotoGP, two seasons ago the Australian Mike Jones rode Héctor Barberá’s Ducati and ended up scoring points at Phillip Island, or Javi del Amor, who scored one point in Barcelona 2013 with the FTR.
“The first thing is to wish Tito the best and fastest recovery, he is a great guy and I hope he comes back very soon. But I can not hide that I’m very happy to get on his bike. Tito has done great things this year and for me it is a great opportunity to get on the GP17, I will try to give the maximum and I hope to get as close as possible to his level. I want to thank the team and Zelos for making it possible. I hope that Tito recovers soon and I have to open full gas to take advantage of this opportunity”.
“I’m super happy and excited. I really want to get on the bike. Racing in MotoGP is the dream of any rider and I still can not believe that on Friday I will be on track with the riders I see from home every weekend. I always try to learn from them on TV and now I can do it on the track! I am happy! I am 22 years old and this opportunity is something incredible. I know it will be difficult and I will have to learn many things in a very short time, the bike, the carbon brakes, the Michelin tires, but I am willing to enjoy and learn. I will try to give my best on the bike and I hope to reward the team and all those who have helped me to fulfill my dream”.
