Marco Simoncelli's MotoGP Team To Attend Valencia Race

Gresini Honda will attend the Valencia MotoGP in November following the death of their rider Marco Simoncelli on Sunday.

Simoncelli, 24, was killed when he was struck by Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi after in a crash in Malaysia.

Team boss Fausto Gresini had said that his team would miss both the race in Spain and the post-season tests which were scheduled to follow.

But the team will now be at the race - though they may not compete.

Gresini has not yet decided if Simoncelli's team-mate Hiroshi Aoyama and Moto2 riders Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi will take part in their races.

But the Italian team will assemble its usual pit garage at the circuit, and will display a bike showing the number 58 in tribute to Simoncelli.

Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo is already a doubt to race in Valencia after he injured his finger in a crash in Australia, while Edwards could miss out after he injured his shoulder in the accident which killed Simoncelli.

Gresini saw another of his riders, Daijiro Kato, killed in 2003 and has been deeply affected by the loss of his number one rider.

Gresini told Corriere dello Sport: "Everything happened so fast. I'm lost for words.

"I know our job is dangerous, that risk is part of the game, but you always hope nothing happens.

"When it does happen and you find yourself in the middle of it, everything changes, it's difficult to accept it.

"The crash was caused by a sequence of incredibly negative circumstances.

"Marco was spontaneous, he would always do what he thought, with a great heart and always radiant. I can't remember him getting angry even once.

"He was always honest with himself and with the others, a guy who loved challenges, and we, his team, were just an instrument to realise his dreams and to unleash his passion."