Jules Bianchi Dies: Tributes Pour In For Formula 1 Driver Who Died After October Crash

Jules Bianchi died in France this weekend, prompting an outpouring of love and remembrance for the Formula 1 driver who crashed during the Japanese Grand Prix last October.

The 25-year-old died in a hospital room in Nice, where he lived with his family.

Bianchi crashed at the tail end of the race last year, slipping off the track in wet conditions and slamming into a crane that was picking up the Sauber that German driver Adrian Sutil had crashed one lap before.

Bianchi, who had been in serious condition since the crash, was mourned by teammates and competitors alike.

“Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules,” John Booth, team principal of Manor Marussia, told the Associated Press. “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.”

Jules Bianchi was remembered as a well-liked and promising driver, with rival driver Romain Grosjean calling him “one of the best guys and best drivers I’ve ever met.”
“Jules was a shining talent. He was destined for great things in our sport: Success he so richly deserved,” Booth said in a statement. “He was also a magnificent human being, making a lasting impression on countless people all over the world… he was an extremely warm, humble and intensely likable person who lit up our garage and our lives.”

An investigation found that Bianchi “applied both throttle and brake together, using both feet,” which overrode his failsafe mechanism, the Associated Press reported. The crash led Formula 1 to create a new rule allowing a safety car to steward cars into a pit lane during a caution rather than letting them continue the circuit.

Jules Bianchi is the first Formula 1 driver to die as the result of a crash in more than 20 years. In 1994, three-time champion Ayrton Senna and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger died in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix.

“The world of motor sport is in mourning today,” motor sport’s governing body FIA said in a statement. “The sport has lost one of the most talented drivers of this generation, from a family that has such a strong presence in the history of the sport.”

Jules Bianchi will be laid to rest in his hometown of Nice on Tuesday.

[Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images]