Racing best way to honour Marco Simoncelli, says Casey Stoner

New MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says the best way to honour the late Marco Simoncelli is to race and put on a good show in the final round of the season in Valencia this weekend.

The Aussie, who claimed his second premier class world title just a week before Simoncelli lost his life in a horrific accident on the second lap of last month’s Sepang race in Malaysia, said: “It will be difficult to return to racing this weekend after Marco’s terrible accident in Sepang but I think it is the best thing we can do to honour him. We know we all play a risky game and, even if compared to the past the safety of our sport is much better, unfortunately these kind of events still occur. My thoughts go out to his family and I hope that they are coping through this period.”

The Repsol Honda rider was leading the Sepang race when it was red flagged on lap two because of a horrific accident involving Simoncelli, Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.

Simoncelli was struck by Edwards and Rossi after he lost control of his San Carlo Gresini Honda machine at Turn 11 and the popular Italian succumbed to head, neck and chest injuries.

Stoner added: “The race this weekend is the final round of an incredible season for us, we worked hard all year and after clinching the title in Phillip Island we are starting to look to 2012. After the race here in Valencia we will have the two-day test on the 1000cc machine and then we can take a well-deserved break and reflect on the ups and downs of a very long hard season. We will go out there this weekend and try to put on a good show for all the fans and especially in memory of Marco.”