Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Pierre Gasly Unite to Pay Tribute to Jules Bianchi 10 Years After Fatal Japanese GP Crash

via Imago

The events of the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix still send chills down the spines of the F1 World. Jules Bianchi – A promising 25-year-old who was en route to be Ferrari’s next big thing suffered a major crash with a recovery vehicle at Suzuka that forced him into a coma. 9 months after being in a coma, Bianchi died of the injuries sustained in the crash. 2024 marks 10 years since the horrific incident. So, before the Japanese GP race weekend begins, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, and Charles Leclerc have paid homage to the late racer.

“He was, of course, incredibly talented,” Verstappen said, as quoted by FIA.com, “And yeah, for sure, he would have achieved incredible things in Formula 1. ……. that was, I think, a very bad day for everyone, the sport, of course.”

The Dutchman also pointed out how that unfortunate crash caused F1 to sit up and improve safety measures for drivers. “But I think we also, again, learned a lot about safety that day…….. But yeah, I do find it nice as well that he will always be remembered. There are things in his name, charities like the go-kart races his dad also still organizes to always remember his name because he definitely deserves that.”

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Alpine driver Pierre Gasly who has experienced losing his best friend Anthoine Hubert in an F1 crash, too had some kind words for the “extremely kind” Bianchi. “I think definitely Jules will always be remembered for who he was, I think, obviously as a driver, but also just as a human being. He was extremely kind.”

Bianchi had also left his mark on the French racing scene, per Gasly. “I remember when we were in the French team, all young drivers with Antoine (Hubert), Esteban (Ocon), and many other young kids that we obviously looked up to him as the next big thing in Formula 1 because everyone, I think, agrees that he would eventually make it to Ferrari. So, yeah, it’s definitely very, very sad, you know, to remember what’s happened. And I’m glad, you know, I think he left, definitely, his mark in Formula 1 and also beyond it. And it will definitely be always remembered.”

The late Frenchman indeed made a massive impact on F1. But the man that was affected most, apart from his family, was Charles Leclerc – his Godson.

Charles Leclerc’s special Japanese GP helmet for Jules Bianchi

“Fate has made me lose my little one and him, his dad,” Jules Bianchi’s father said about his bond with Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque was Bianchi’s Godson and their fathers had an incredibly close bond. And the Ferrari racer intends to honor that bond at Suzuka.

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To mark Bianchi’s 10th death anniversary, Leclerc will reportedly don a new helmet for the Japanese GP. “This place is special and reminds me of Jules,” Leclerc told the media in Japan. “I will have a special helmet in his memory for this weekend.”

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It is going to be an emotional race for Leclerc. But he will have the Bianchi family rooting for him, along with millions of Ferrari fans.