It's also quite amazing to hear that they're renaming the circuit at Misano (or at least part of the facilities there) after the late rider:
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/misano+circuit+assoc...Simoncelli
His home town is only 5 miles, 8 km in Italian
, down the road from the circuit and it seems a magnificent move to bestow his name upon something so world famous.
I'd normally expect this accolade to be reserved for those who triumph massively in their fields, multiple world championships for example, so I think this move indicates the impact Marco Simoncelli has had on the motorcycle racing world both during and after his short but dazzling career.