The news of Luca Salvadori's death over the weekend has left motorcycling in mourning. At the age of 32, the Italian, known not only as an influencer but also as a talented motorcyclist, lost his life in a very serious accident during a stage of the International Road Racing Championship (IRRC), which took place this weekend in Germany in Freuburg. There were many messages of condolence, from MotoGP riders to those who shared the tracks with him in Superbikes or MotoE. Perhaps one of them, his Italian teammate Filippo Rovelli, had the most symbolic tribute. A direct rival in the fight for the 1000 National Cup title, the Italian championship, Rovelli and the Bistard team decided to withdraw and not compete in the last two races, in order to ensure that the failed Salvadori would be crowned champion of the current season.
“Luca, we have crossed paths on the track for many years, but never had so many battles as this year. Every race was a real battle between two people. We still have two races, two opportunities. To challenge ourselves again and to continue growing together, but today, for me, the championship ends here, and it doesn’t make sense to continue without you on the track, without your leadership, your talent. This title is yours, Luca, and you deserve it. Well, race after race, I wanted to celebrate you in a different way, to shake your hand and tell you personally that this championship is yours and will be yours forever.
Moreover, the decision was also justified in a way that the Beastard team felt. “Something very serious has happened, something we can’t even believe. Our team’s direct competitor for the past four years, with [Roberto] Tamburini, [Gabriele] “Gianini passed away this year with Filippo Rovelli. Luca was a wonderful man, kind, friendly, fun, full of life. Those who had the pleasure of meeting him knew what he was like. The last time we were together we talked about the race that was going to take place in Germany. I wasn’t sure if I would keep the bike. Instead, he decided to leave and never came back,” recalls Gianluca Gallese Melilla, owner of the Bestard team.
“Filippo Rovelli and I talked about whether we should go to Imola or not. We decided not to be there as much as in Cervezzina. We will only be there to pay tribute to Luca. With this gesture, we want to make sure that Luca, even after he leaves, can celebrate the 1000th national title, which he has been chasing for a long time this year, because he has four wins in six races, but unfortunately it was not possible to celebrate it. The only way we can say goodbye to him is to not take part in the last two races, so that he can win this title.”
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