Barry Sheene’s brother in law Paul Smart and nephew Scott Smart joined Bennetts Suzuki rider Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tommy Bridewell on a parade lap at Brands Hatch to celebrate the late rider’s first 500cc Grand Prix title this lunchtime.

Paul Smart rode his own 1972 Suzuki TR750 while Scott was on his uncle’s 1975 XR14 RG500, the bike on which Sheene won his first 500cc race, on an anti-clockwise lap of the track as it was raced in the Hutchinson 100 era.

The Bennetts boys ran their MCE British Superbikes in the Heron Suzuki colours under which Sheene won his 500GP titles, the first of which was 40 years ago.

Sheene’s sister Maggie Smart flagged off the parade lap in a Sheene 7 t-shirt while niece Paula Mainwaring Smart watched from the starting grid with her daughter Addyson and husband Howie.

“It was great to be a part of the parade and interesting to ride the track the wrong way around,” Scott Smart told BSN. “I liked the way dad shot away at the start and was immediately on the racing line as he was the only one of us old enough to remember where it was!”