Thousands of fans, friends and family attended Marco Simoncelli`s funeral in Italy Thursday five days after the MotoGP rider died after losing control of his motorcycle during the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Mourners followed an Italian tradition of bidding farewell to the dead by clapping as the 24-year old`s coffin passed before being taken to its final resting place.

Close friend and seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi was present. "The evening before your last race you said you wanted to win the Grand Prix because you would have seen everyone better up there on the podium. Now we are pained that we can`t see you, but it gives us great joy and hope to know that we have been framed by you from the highest podium there is," said Francesco Lambiasi, the bishop of Rimini, who gave the homily.

About 1,000 people who couldn`t fit in the small town`s church followed the funeral on large-screens at the nearby Misano racetrack.