Charles Leclerc will wear a special helmet this weekend in tribute to Jules Bianchi, who died following a crash in the Japanese Grand Prix 10 years ago.
Bianchi died in July 2015, nine months after sustaining serious head injuries in a crash at Suzuka the previous October. His car struck a recovery vehicle in a run-off area after he spun off the track in wet conditions.
Leclerc was a childhood friend of Bianchi, who was seven years older than him. Both became members of Ferrari’s Driver Academy and Bianchi was believed to be in line for promotion to the team prior to his crash.
In a social media post Leclerc said he is wearing “a special helmet in memory of a very special person for me” this weekend.
“Ten years this year since we have lost Jules here in Japan. So many memories together that I’ll never ever forget. I miss you and I’ll do everything to bring that helmet on the top step of the podium on Sunday.”
Leclerc previously incorporated Bianchi’s helmet design into his at the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix.
Bianchi’s fellow French racer Pierre Gasly said he “will always be remembered for who he was, obviously as a driver, but also just as a human being.
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“He was extremely kind. It was an example for a lot of drivers, but especially in France. 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 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.”
Max Verstappen, who made his debut as an F1 driver the weekend Bianchi crashed, said he “would have achieved incredible things in Formula 1, I think everyone was pretty sure about that.”
“That was a very bad day for everyone, the sport, of course. But I think we also, again, learned a lot about safety that day.
“Unfortunately, it seems like sometimes these kind of things need to happen for safety to improve. It’s of course not what you like to see, but that’s how it seems to work in life.
“But I do find it nice as well that he will always be remembered. There are things in his name,…
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