Unfortunately, Dupasquier succumbed to injuries sustained in a serious accident in qualifying for the Moto3 Grand Prix of Italy.
MotoGP observed a minute’s silence ahead of the Italian GP after Dupasquier’s death, while his Prustel GP team vowed to continue in his memory.
The German GP this weekend is the home game of the Prustel GP, which is located near the Sachsenring and shows a tribute banner to Dupasquier.
In an official ceremony on Friday evening, MotoGP officially withdrew Dupasquier’s start number # 50 from use in Moto3 in honor of the late Swiss driver.
In a special presentation, Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and FIM board member Jan Stovicek presented the Dupasquier Prustel GP team with a special trophy on the occasion of the # 50 elimination from the Moto3 competition.
FIM board member Jan Stovicek and Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta present the trophy to Florian Prüstel
Photo by: Dorna
Leading MotoGP riders including Fabio Quartararo, Marc Marquez and Jack Miller also attended the ceremony to pay their respects.
Dupasquier’s is the sixth starting number in Grand Prix racing that has been officially taken out of service.
The first number to be retired was the famous 34 of the 500 cc world champion Kevin Schwantz from 1993, which after his retirement in 1995 could only be used in the lower categories.
As a tribute to his career in Grand Prix racing, Loris Capirossis # 65 was retired after his retirement in 2011, while Daijiro Katos # 74 was retired in honor of the Japanese after his death in Suzuka in 2003.
In Moto2, no rider is allowed to use the # 48 after it was retired in 2010 following the death of Shoya Tomizawa at Misano, while Marco Simoncellis # 58 retired from MotoGP last year to commemorate the Italian who made it to Sepang in 2011 died.
FIM board member Jan Stovicek and Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta with drivers
Photo by: Dorna
MotoGP’s decision to continue racing at Mugello after Dupasquier’s death proved controversial as a number of riders expressed disappointment that the Grand Prix had taken place.
Since Dupasquier’s death, numerous drivers have been wearing tributes to the Swiss on their racing gear and motorcycles.