Tributes and memories flood in after Luca Salvadori’s death

Tributes to Italian motorcycle racer Luca Salvadori, who died at the weekend, have been led by MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia.

A number of tributes have been made to Luca Salvadori, including from the late Italian’s fellow motorcycle racers.

Salvadori died after crashing in Frohburg, Germany, where he was competing in a round of the International Road Racing Championship (IRRC).

It was Salvadori’s third appearance in the IRRC, and he’d also been racing the CIV Italian Superbike Championship this year on a Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Prior to that, he’d raced in the MotoE World Championship in 2023, the series’ first year with the Ducati V21L. Riding for the Pramac team, which fields Jorge Martin and Franco Morbidelli in the MotoGP World Championship, Salvadori finished 18th in the final riders’ standings.

Pramac posted to Instagram following the news of Salvadori’s death. The team’s post reads:

“Luca Salvadori became part of the family in 2023, when he joined our MotoE team.

“It is tremendously sad to hear about his passing during a wildcard event of the International Road Racing Championship in Germany.

“Rest in peace, Luca.”

Salvadori was perhaps as well known for his personality and media presence — curated largely through his own content, including YouTube vlogs that would often offer behind-the-scenes insights into motorcycle racing, even at the first official MotoE test to use the V21L at Jerez in November 2022 — as he was for his actual racing.

Highlighting this was current Ducati MotoGP rider and reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, who described Salvadori as an “extremely positive person”.

“Luca Salvadori had become a reference point, not only for me, but for all motorsport enthusiasts,” the Italian wrote on Instagram.

“In a world that works the opposite, where success is not always forgiven, he always commented objectively on every race, session, event.

Bagnaia continued, saying that “Whenever he offered to be interviewed or to have a chat, I was always glad to share my thoughts with him, because he was an extremely positive person… one of those people you want to listen to because they convey a huge passion for what they do and it’s a privilege for a few.” Also on Instagram, a post by Sky Italia, attributed to Italian commentator and journalist Guido Meda, paid tribute to “good guy” Salvadori.

Salvadori “had his dimples printed permanently next to a very tender smile,” Sky Italia’s post reads. “He was good and generous, proud to have made himself independent from opportunities that a father and mother could be guaranteed. He admired the consistency. He loved human beings. Loved the bike. He loved life”.

The post was shared by several riders to their respective Instagram stories, including Andrea Iannone, Andrea Locatelli, and Lorenzo Savadori; and further by current F2 racer and Lewis Hamolton’s confirmed replacement at the Mercedes F1 team in 2025, Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

There were also tributes made by riders racing last weekend. At the JuniorGP round in Jerez, Cardoso Racing rider Francesco Mongiardo placed a tribute reading “Sempre con te amico mio,” which translates to “Always with you, my friend”.

At the British Superbike Championship race at Oulton Park, Honda Racing UK’s Tommy Bridewell dedicated his Race 2 podium finish to Salvadori.

I know it’s not a win, but I want to dedicate it to, obviously […] we lost Luca Salvadori, and it affects all of us,” Bridewell told Eurosport in his podium interview following Race 2 on Sunday.

“We’re a small community in motorsport and bike racing, and honestly we’re thinking of his family and friends.”