Formula One says farewell to Bianchi

Formula One drivers Marcus Ericsson (L) and Daniil Kvyat (C) arrive to attend the funeral ceremony of late Marussia F1 driver Jules Bianchi at the Sainte Reparate Cathedral in Nice, France, July 21, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Bianchi had made his Formula One debut with Ferrari-powered Marussia in 2013, scoring that team's first and to date only points in Monaco last year when he finished ninth.

Formula One's governing body, the FIA whose French president Jean Todt attended the funeral, announced on Monday that Bianchi's chosen number 17 would be retired from the world championship.

"Formula One is a complicated job... but he always remained humble, nice with everybody," said Todt's son Nicolas, Bianchi's manager, outside the cathedral.

"So I think this gentleness he had made the difference between him and the others."