The FIA will retire Jules Bianchi’s auto number (17) as a mark of respect to the Frenchman following his tragic death last weekend.
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Everyone deals with grief independently, and I make no bones about this, but why so many of us feel a need to stake a personal clam, no matter how small, on the driver’s memory continues to elude me.
Ciao, Jules. Be at peace.
Bianchi was the first race auto driver to die from the injuries he sustained at an accident in a Grand Prix event after Ayrton Senna in 1994.
“We wish to thank the medical staff at Nice’s CHU who looked after him with love and dedication”, the family statement said. His entrance wheels had additionally locked.
It also said that Bianchi “did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control”.
Pictures of Bianchi’s official F1 portrait were hung up either side of the cathedral entrance, while dozens of colourful floral tributes adorned the funeral auto.
The Manor team tweeted: “We are devastated to lose Jules after such a hard-fought battle”.
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) said Bianchi’s death was a reminder that more could always be done, however.
Former team-mate and F1 driver Max Chilton: “No words can describe what his family & the sport have lost”. Nothing will bring the Frenchman back, but hopefully the FIA and all race organizers have learned a valuable lesson from the Suzuka crash.
“In short we lost a driver with a certain future”.
Bianchi had severe injuries to his head, however, he was in a coma.
Born in Nice, Bianchi went through the Karting circuit before racing with SG Formula in French Formula Renault.
Start times for the races in Australia, Malaysia, China, Russian Federation and Japan have also been brought forward by one hour after Bianchi crashed at dusk.
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Raikkonen, who won the 2007 world championship with Ferrari, returned to the Italian team for the season last year on a two-year contract that expires at the end of the year. Executives from the Manor-Marussia F1 team are expected to attend, as well as FIA president Jean Todt and his son Nicolas Todt, Bianchi’s manager in F1. He failed to score any points in his début season and finished 19th overall.
