There is an invisible thread that links the ardor of sport to the deepest bonds of the heart. Paolo Simoncelli knows this well, as he had the honor of carrying the Olympic Flame through the streets of Riccione on Monday 6 January, in a moment that he himself defined as “a beautiful tribute to Marco”.
Marco Simoncelli, the “Sic”, MotoGP rider with a free soul and crystalline talent, left us prematurely in October 2011, during the Malaysian Grand Prix. Since then his father Paolo continued to keep his memory alive, not only through the Foundation that bears his son’s name, but above all through the values that Marco embodied: passion, dedication, love for sport and for life.
A father, a torch, a memory that illuminates
When Paolo Simoncelli held the Olympic torch, he not only carried the sacred fire of the Games. He brought with him the sweet and painful weight of a paternal love that knows no distances, not even those between heaven and earth. “I hope my son looks at us and is satisfied,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion, as the flame danced in his hands.
The passage of the Olympic Flame through Romagna, the land that gave birth to Marco and which saw him grow as a pilot and as a man, thus took on an even deeper meaning. It was not just a sporting event, but a moment of collective reflection, a symbolic embrace to all the parents who have lost a child and who continue to look for him in looks, gestures, in the little big things of everyday life.
«The Olympics have enormous value», underlined Paolo Simoncelli. And in these words there is the synthesis of a broader vision: sport is not just competition, records, medals. It is above all a universal language that unites people, that transmits values, that builds bridges between different generations. Marco Simoncelli loved running, he loved challenging the limits, but above all he loved sharing the joy of what he did with others. He was a boy capable of smiling even in difficult moments, of getting up after every fall, of always believing in his dreams. Values that his father wanted to honor by carrying the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace, brotherhood and healthy competition.
Family as the root of every victory
In an era in which everything seems to accelerate, in which traditional values are often questioned, Paolo Simoncelli’s gesture reminds us that family remains the deepest root of all our victories. Marco became a champion not only for his natural talent, but also thanks to the love, support and education he received at home.
Paolo and his wife Rossella raised Marco, teaching him respect, humility and determination. Values that the young driver brought to the track and which continue to live through the initiatives of the Marco Simoncelli Foundation, committed to social issues and supporting young sporting talents.
There Olympic Flame continues its journey through Italy, in view of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Each torchbearer who carries the torch adds a piece of history, a personal testimony, a message of hope.
Paolo Simoncelli’s passage to Riccione will remain in the memory not only of motorcycling enthusiasts, but of all those who believe in the power of sport to elevate the human soul, to overcome pain, to transform loss into a living legacy.
«I hope my son looks at it and is satisfied». These words by Paolo Simoncelli are a message for everyone: our loved ones never truly leave us, if we continue to live according to the values they have transmitted to us. Every gesture made with love, every small daily victory, every moment of shared joy is a way to keep them close to us.
The Olympic Flame that crossed Riccione on 6 January was not just a sporting symbol: it was a light that illuminated the indissoluble bond between a father and a son, between the present and memory, between sport and the most authentic values of life.
And maybe, somewhere, Marco is really watching. And he smiles, as he always hasproud of his father and of that silent but powerful tribute: a torch carried with the heart, for him and for all those who still believe in dreams.
The Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina 2026 will be held from 6 to 22 February and will represent a crucial moment for Italian and international sport, celebrating the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
Photo © Milano-Cortina 2026
