The funeral of MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli has been held in Coriano, the Italian village where he was born and lived.
Thousands line streets of Coriano to pay tribute to Italian rider
The funeral of MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli has been held in Coriano, the Italian village where he was born and lived.
Thousands of fans gathered outside the church in Coriano to pay their respects to the 24-year-old, who was killed in a crash at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.
They also viewed the service on big screens set up in the village square, while many more watched it on national television.
Among those in attendance was his close friend and seven-time world champion Rossi, Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo as well Fausto Gresini, boss of the team for which Simoncelli rode in MotoGP.
"We must do what we are doing, to be close to the family and honour Marco for what he has done," Gresini said.
"Perhaps we didn't consider just how much he was loved, we thought we knew it, but the number of people that have come here has been truly great.
"This is comforting even though we have a lot of pain inside."
Two of Simoncelli's motorbikes - a Gilera he used during his 250cc championship winning season of 2008 and a Honda he rode this year - flanked his coffin.
A helmet with the number 58 was placed above the casket was placed above the casket while red balloons with the same logo were released outside.
Rossi took Simoncelli's Honda out of the church with Simoncelli's coffin, carried by his friends, following behind it as fans applauded outside the church.
