Bianchi is the first F1 driver to be killed during a race since Ayrton Senna in 1994. Race In Peace Jules! It has been an honour to be able to consider him our race driver, our team-mate, and of course our friend.
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“The world of motor sport is in mourning today”, motorsports’ governing body said in a statement.
Bianchi, 25, who died in hospital in Nice on Friday nine months after his shocking accident and without regaining consciousness, had come through Ferrari’s driver academy and maintained close ties with Maranello. The crash led Formula 1 to create a new rule allowing a safety vehicle to steward cars into a pit lane during a caution rather than letting them continue the circuit.
Driving inferior machinery compared to the majority of the grid, Bianchi proved himself time and again, with his highlight coming in May 2014. His entrance wheels had additionally locked.
Tributes have also been pouring in from across the globe. He was confirmed by the team to be one of their guys for the 2014 season, however, his season would come to a devastating halt. He said that he was always thinking about Bianchi every five or 10 laps.
“He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward”, they added.
It will go to show that even after all this time and no fatalities in this form of motor racing, it will realize that the sport, no matter how safe the equipment is to protect the driver, is still unsafe to do.
Bianchi had severe injuries to his head, however, he was in a coma.
The tweet included a photo of Bianchi and Chilton in their younger years of racing.
As a fitness fanatic, the duo often trained together at Maranello, with Bianchi even running in his first half-marathon in Toulon in September.
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With Raikkonen’s Ferrari contract expiring this year, speculation is rife as to who could replace him should the Scuderia decide not to offer the 35 year old a deal. 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.
