10 years ago, Jules Bianchi passed away at the hospital in Nice after 9 months in a coma following a terrible accident at the Japanese Suzuka circuit, in Formula 1.
At just 25 years old, he had conquered the world of motorsport with his raw talent, humility, and exceptional maturity behind the wheel. Jules Bianchi was born on August 3, 1989 in Nice, where he was immediately immersed in the noise of engines. The son of a karting manager and the great-nephew of Lucien Bianchi, a former F1 driver and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jules first got into a kart at the age of 4 on his father’s track in Brignoles, in the Var.
From his competitive beginnings, his talent was evident. At the age of 15, he placed second in the French Karting Championship. Two years later, in 2006, he finished third in the world championship in Marienbourg, Belgium. The young Frenchman was then noticed by Nicolas Todt, the son of Jean Todt, the head of the Scuderia Ferrari at the time. From that moment, his sports career would accelerate. In 2007, Jules made his single-seater debut in Formula Renault and won his first race. He followed this with two seasons in Formula 3 driving an ART. He placed third in 2008 and claimed the title in 2009.
A Tricolore Hope
In 2010, he entered Formula 2, the final step before Formula 1. There, he achieved several podiums and twice finished third in the championship, in 2010 and 2011. In that latter year, he made his first free practice appearances in F1 behind the wheel of a Ferrari and officially joined the Scuderia as a reserve driver.
Simultaneously, he competed in the World Series by Renault in 2012 and finished as the vice-champion. That same year, he became a reserve driver at Force India before being given an unexpected chance to replace Luiz Razia at Marussia for the 2013 season.
The adventure at Marussia was challenging for him; the team lacked resources, but Jules impressed everyone. At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2014, he did the unthinkable by finishing 9th in the race, earning the first points in the team’s history. A few weeks later, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, he made it to Q2 during qualifying and eliminated Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 world champion. From that moment, everyone thought the same thing: a future Ferrari driver was emerging.
The Night When Everything Changed
But tragedy would disrupt his entire career. On October 5, 2014, during the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, he was involved in a tragic accident. Under torrential rain, and despite the approach of a typhoon, organizers refused to delay the race start. On the 42nd lap of the Grand Prix, Adrian Sutil went off track. To remove his car, a crane was deployed. No safety car was deployed to slow the cars and ensure everyone’s safety. One lap later, at the site of Sutil’s crash, Jules lost control of his car due to aquaplaning. He collided with the crane at exactly 126 km/h. The impact was fatal. He suffered a severe head injury and immediately fell into a coma.
He fought for nine months to try to wake up but unfortunately passed away from his injuries on July 17, 2015, at the Nice University Hospital.
The loss of Jules Bianchi shook the motorsport world. His accident triggered a significant reaction regarding the safety of racing cars. It led to the installation of the mandatory “Halo” protection system on all cars since 2018. A device that according to many experts, might have saved his life that day.
A Continuing Commitment: The Jules Bianchi Association
To honor their son’s memory and continue his commitment, his parents founded the Jules Bianchi Association in 2015. Its goal: to support medical research on traumatic brain injuries, assist the families of victims with similar injuries, and promote safety in motorsport. Based in Nice, the association regularly organizes charitable events, commemorative races, fundraising activities, and auctions of driver memorabilia.
Ten years after his passing, Jules Bianchi remains a bright star in the history of Formula 1. His legacy continues through those he inspired, like Charles Leclerc, his godson and friend, who is now a Ferrari driver.
