Tommy Occhi, the dream is now reality: "I will race on Simoncelli's bike"

Ferrara native Tommy Occhi in the SIC58 MotoE. On Wednesday in Misano Adriatico, the official presentation of the 'SIC58 Squadra Corse' riders took place, in the presence of Paolo Simoncelli, father of the late Marco. Among the riders for the 2025 season is also Ferrara native Tommaso 'Tommy' Occhi, 21 years old from Masi Torello. A 2024 that ended, in fact, with the announcement of a prestigious contract, namely, the signature with Paolo Simoncelli's 'Sic58 Squadra Corse'. In 2025 Tommaso Occhi will participate in the MotoGP category of E (electric) motorcycle world championship. A dream come true for the motorcyclist from Masi Torello. On the day of the presentation, Tommy himself wanted to remember: "An important day for me, a season in which the expectations are to have fun. The first thought, after sitting on the bike for the first time, is that it is truly beautiful. My goal is to grow, I am sure of it, because this is a category that has already existed for a few years, but includes several established riders. I want to move forward and not stop here in MotoE, and I hope to succeed".

Before the presentation Occhi had recalled how "Marco Simoncelli has always been my idol, now it is an honor to have signed a contract with his father's racing team. It all started from a meeting with Federica Costa and Andrea Lazzarini, who have been working in motorcycle sports for years, who directed me towards the world championship and then I spoke a bit with Paolo Simoncelli, until I arrived at the dream".

Tommaso loved riding minibikes since he was a child and kept a poster of his 'myth' Marco Simoncelli in his room. At 10 years old he started riding his minibike in some parking lot near his house, and then 'tasted' the racing track in Ripapersico, in the municipality of Portomaggiore, for the first time. Tommy studies Sports Science at the University of Ferrara, trains twice a day, and is also a minibike and miniGp instructor on the Ripapersico track. The first racing team was 'Team Space' from 2014 to 2018. It started in 2014 with the youth championship 'Trofeo Persico' and 'Trofeo XFive', with one victory and a good placing respectively. The first real 'jump' in category in 2017 with the Italian championship of the category and the Marco Simoncelli trophy, same path also in 2018, where a European was also added on the Franciacorta track in Lombardy. 2019 saw the transition to the Geko Bike Factory in the 'high wheels' category. We move on to the two-year period 2021-22, where the young rider participated in the Civsuper sport 300, with good results and in 2023 R7cup debut winning the Italian title. In 2024 he repeated the R7cup with the 'Isernia Corse' group.

Mario Tosatti