The Mayor of Coriano is afraid that his small town (population 10,000) will be invaded by thousands of fans who want to pay their last respects to Marco Simoncelli, and has asked that fans instead head to the Misano World Circuit to watch the funeral on the giant screens at the Italian circuit, which will be opened for this sad occasion.
The police are expecting between 50,000 to 60,000 people to show up and the church of Santa Maria, which holds only 500 people will be open only to family members, close friends, GP riders and team members, so the mayor has invited everyone to following the proceedings a Misano or from one of the three giant screens (in via Piane, in Piazza Mazzini and Piazza Don Minzon) that the town of Coriano is putting up, as the funeral will be televised live by Rai Sport and Italia 1.
Several details regarding the funeral have been released which will include Valentino Rossi and Mattia Pasini bringing into the church Marco’s motorcycles, his 250cc Aprilia that he won the 2008 World Championship title on, that he kept in his bedroom and his 2011 Honda RC212V.
It seems that the family wished that Italian rock star Vasco Rossi sing one of Simoncelli’s favourite songs (you heard him on the tribute video we posted last Sunday), but the local Curia refused and the local choir will do the singing instead.
Simoncelli’s casket is currently at the Teatro Comunale for public viewing and will remain there until 10:00 pm tonight and alongside the casket are both Marco’s motorcycles.
Former F1 driver Andrea De Adamich, one of the guests during yesterday’s TV show Matrix (which had exclusive interviews with Paolo and Rosella Simoncelli and girlfriend Kate Fretti) asked that the Misano World circuit be named after Marco.
