Jules Bianchi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jules Bianchi

Bianchi at the 2012 Nürburgring World Series race
Born	Jules Lucien André Bianchi (1989-08-03)3 August 1989 Nice, France
Died	17 July 2015(2015-07-17) (aged 25) Nice, France
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	French
Active years	2013–2014
Teams	Marussia
Car number	17 (retired in honour)
Entries	34 (34 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	2
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	2013 Australian Grand Prix
Last entry	2014 Japanese Grand Prix
Related to	Lucien Bianchi (great-uncle) Mauro Bianchi (grandfather) Charles Leclerc (godson)
Previous series
2010–11 2009–10–2011 2009, 2012 2009 2008–09 2007 2007	GP2 Series GP2 Asia Series Formula Renault 3.5 Series British Formula 3 Formula 3 Euro Series French Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
Championship titles
2009 2007	Formula 3 Euro Series French Formula Renault 2.0
Awards
2013	Autosport Rookie of the Year

Jules Lucien André Bianchi (born August 3, 1989 – died July 17, 2015) was a French race car driver. He competed in Formula One for the Marussia F1 Team.

Before Formula One, Bianchi raced in other series like Formula Renault 3.5, GP2, and Formula Three. He was also part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, which helps young drivers. In 2012, he joined Sahara Force India as a practice driver. In 2013, he started racing for Marussia. He finished 15th in his first race in Australia. That year, he ended the season in 19th place without scoring points. His best finish was 13th at the Malaysian Grand Prix Grand Prix. In October 2013, Marussia confirmed he would race for them again. In 2014, he scored his and Marussia's first-ever Formula One points at the Monaco Grand Prix race.

On October 5, 2014, during the Japanese Grand Prix Grand Prix, Bianchi crashed his Marussia car in very wet conditions. He hit a recovery vehicle and suffered a serious brain injury. He had surgery and was in a coma until he passed away on July 17, 2015. Bianchi's death was the first from a Formula One track incident in over 20 years. The last one was Ayrton Senna's fatal accident in 1994. As of 2023, it is the most recent fatal accident in Formula One.

Jules Bianchi's Early Life

Jules Bianchi was born in Nice, France. His parents were Philippe and Christine Bianchi. He had a brother named Tom and a sister named Mélanie. Jules was also the godfather of current Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

Bianchi came from a family of racers. His grandfather, Mauro Bianchi, raced GT cars in the 1960s. His great-uncle, Lucien Bianchi, competed in Formula One races. Lucien also won the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.

Jules's favorite racing driver was Michael Schumacher.

Jules Bianchi's Racing Journey

Jules started karting when he was about 3 years old. His father owned a kart track, which helped him get into the sport. Since he was 17, Nicolas Todt managed Bianchi's career.

Starting in Formula Renault

In 2007, Bianchi stopped karting and began racing in French Formula Renault 2.0. He raced for SG Formula and won the championship with five victories. He also took part in the Formula Renault Eurocup.

Moving to Formula 3 Euro

Bianchi racing at the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series season's first round in Hockenheim.

In late 2007, Bianchi joined ART Grand Prix to race in the Formula 3 Euro Series.

In 2008, Bianchi won the Masters of Formula 3 race at Zolder. He also finished third in the 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series season.

Bianchi continued in the F3 Euroseries in 2009. He was the main driver for ART. He won eight races and secured the title early at Dijon-Prenois. He then added a ninth win at the final race in Hockenheim. He also raced once in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series at Monaco.

Racing in GP2 Series

Bianchi at Monza in 2011.

Bianchi raced for ART in the GP2 Asia season and the 2010 GP2 season. He competed in three of the four GP2 Asia rounds. In the main GP2 series, Bianchi earned two pole positions. He also scored points in several races. He was injured in a crash at the Hungaroring. He spun and was hit by another car, breaking a bone in his back. Despite the injury, he recovered quickly and raced in the next event.

Bianchi driving for Lotus ART at Silverstone during the 2011 GP2 season.

Bianchi stayed with ART for 2011. He was joined by 2010 GP3 Series champion Esteban Gutiérrez. He did well in the first two rounds of the 2011 GP2 Asia Series. He won a race and finished fourth in another. He ended up as runner-up in the championship. In the main series, Bianchi finished third overall.

Competing in Formula Renault 3.5

Bianchi decided to race in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for 2012. He had raced in this series once before in 2009. He joined the Tech 1 Racing team. He finished second in the championship, just missing out on the title at the last race.

Jules Bianchi's Formula One Career

Test Driver Roles

In August 2009, there were rumors that Bianchi might join Ferrari in Formula One. Bianchi tested for Ferrari in December 2009. His performance led him to become the first member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. This meant he signed a long-term deal with Ferrari.

On November 11, 2010, Ferrari confirmed him as their test and reserve driver for the 2011 season. This meant he would help test new parts for the car. He also continued racing in GP2, as Formula 1 rules allow test drivers to race in other series. In 2012, Ferrari loaned him to the Sahara Force India team. He drove in nine Friday practice sessions for them.

Racing for Marussia F1

2013 Formula One Season

Bianchi driving at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix.

On March 1, 2013, Marussia announced that Bianchi would be their race driver. He replaced Luiz Razia due to sponsorship issues. Bianchi qualified 19th for the Australian Grand Prix Grand Prix. He was faster than his teammate, Max Chilton. Bianchi finished 15th in his first race. He qualified 19th again in Malaysia. He finished 13th, ahead of his teammate and both Caterhams. By the Hungarian Grand Prix Grand Prix, Bianchi had beaten his teammate in all qualifying sessions and all finished races. In the Japanese Grand Prix Grand Prix, his race ended early after a crash with Giedo van der Garde.

2014 Formula One Season

Bianchi driving the Marussia MR03 at the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix.

In October 2013, Marussia confirmed Bianchi would stay for the next season. He had a tough start in Australia. But then, he achieved a great result. He scored his and Marussia's first-ever World Championship points by finishing ninth at the Monaco Grand Prix Grand Prix.

In 2014, Bianchi was usually faster than his teammate, Chilton. Bianchi retired from five races due to mechanical problems. Days before his accident, Bianchi said he was ready to race for Scuderia Ferrari if they needed him.

The 2014 Suzuka Accident

The 2014 Japanese Grand Prix took place on October 5. It was raining heavily because of Typhoon Phanfone. The light was also fading.

On lap 43, Bianchi lost control of his car. He crashed into the back of a recovery vehicle. This vehicle was removing Adrian Sutil's car, which had crashed in the same spot a lap earlier. Bianchi did not slow down enough when approaching the yellow flags. Videos showed that the left side of Bianchi's car was badly damaged. The impact was so strong that the recovery vehicle was lifted off the ground. The race was stopped, and Lewis Hamilton was declared the winner.

Bianchi was unconscious after the crash. He was taken to the circuit's medical center. Because of bad weather, he was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Yokkaichi. His father, Philippe, said Bianchi was in critical condition with a head injury. He had surgery to reduce severe bruising to his head. The FIA later confirmed he had a "severe head injury." He was placed in intensive care.

Many people visited Bianchi in the hospital. These included Marussia's CEO Graeme Lowdon and team principal John Booth. Ferrari's team principal Marco Mattiacci and driver Felipe Massa also visited. Bianchi's family arrived soon after. They thanked everyone for their support. They confirmed Bianchi had a diffuse axonal injury and was in a critical but stable condition.

Reports in October 2014 said Bianchi's car was going about 212 kph (132 mph) when he lost control. The impact created a force of 92 Gs. Later calculations in July 2015 showed a peak force of 254 Gs. Data from the FIA's World Accident Database showed the impact happened 2.61 seconds after losing control. The speed was 123 kph (76 mph) at a 55-degree angle. This is like dropping a car 48 meters (157 feet) without a crumple zone.

Team and Driver Reactions

At the first Russian Grand Prix Grand Prix, one week after the accident, Marussia decided to race with only one car, driven by Max Chilton.

Many tributes were made to show support for Bianchi:

• Marussia put "#JB17" on their car.
• Every driver wore a sticker on their helmet saying "Tous avec Jules #17" ("We're all with Jules #17").
• Drivers held a one-minute silence before the race.
• The race winner, Lewis Hamilton, dedicated his win to Bianchi.

The day after the Japanese Grand Prix Grand Prix, Ferrari's president, Luca di Montezemolo, said Bianchi was set to become Ferrari's third driver in 2015. After the Russian Grand Prix, Marussia's CEO confirmed the team would race with two cars again. However, the team faced financial problems. Their financial supporter said Bianchi's crash was a key reason he stopped funding the team.

After the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, John Booth, now with the Manor Marussia F1 team, said Bianchi's points at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix helped the team stay in Formula One. At the Monaco Grand Prix Grand Prix, Manor Marussia wore special red wristbands that said "Monaco 2014 P8 JB17".

FIA Investigation and Safety Changes

After Bianchi's accident, the FIA started an investigation. They also looked at ways to improve safety. They changed the location of a tractor crane at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The FIA shared its first findings at the Russian Grand Prix. They said Bianchi had slowed down at Suzuka's Turn 7. They also said the ambulance trip to the hospital did not harm Bianchi's condition.

The FIA also looked into closed cockpits for F1 cars. They considered adding protection to recovery vehicles. They also wanted better ways to slow down cars in crash zones. They quickly introduced a virtual safety car (VSC) system. This system was tested in the last three races of the 2014 season.

The FIA formed a panel to investigate the accident. The panel included former drivers and team principals. Their report found no single cause for Bianchi's accident. Factors included track conditions, car speed, and the recovery vehicle being on the track. The report suggested ways to improve safety when removing crashed cars. These changes were made for the 2015 season. The report also said that changes to the cockpit design would not have prevented Bianchi's injuries. It also revealed that Bianchi pressed both the throttle and brake. This should have turned off the engine. However, Marussia's brake system did not work with the safety system, so the engine stayed on. Marussia was not found responsible for the accident.

For the 2015 season, the FIA also made a rule that no race could start less than 4 hours before sunset. This affected several Grand Prix races.

In July 2015, FIA safety officials said a closed cockpit would not have prevented Bianchi's head injuries. They also said adding impact protection to recovery vehicles was not practical.

Bianchi's Medical Journey

Bianchi remained in critical but stable condition in the hospital in Yokkaichi. He needed a medical ventilator. In November 2014, he was taken out of his artificial coma. He started breathing on his own. This allowed him to be moved to a hospital in Nice, France. There, Bianchi remained unconscious but was closer to his family. On July 13, 2015, Bianchi's father said he was "less optimistic" because there had been no major improvement.

Jules Bianchi's Passing

Jules Bianchi passed away on July 17, 2015, at the age of 25. He died from the injuries he got in his Suzuka accident nine months earlier. He was the first Formula One driver to die from injuries during a Grand Prix since Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Bianchi's family released a statement saying:

It is with deep sadness that the parents of Jules Bianchi, Philippe and Christine, his brother Tom and sister Mélanie, wish to make it known that Jules passed away last night at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Nice. Jules fought to the end, as he has always done, but yesterday his battle ended. We feel an immense and indescribable pain.

His funeral was held at the Nice Cathedral on July 21, 2015. He was later cremated. His ashes rest at Monte Carlo Cemetery and some were spread in the Mediterranean Sea. Many current, former, and future drivers attended his funeral.

Tributes to Jules Bianchi

Many people paid tribute to Jules Bianchi. These included other drivers, Bernie Ecclestone, and French president François Hollande. The Manor Marussia team called Bianchi "a magnificent human being" and a "shining talent."

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association said they felt a duty to keep improving safety. FIA President Jean Todt announced that race number 17 would no longer be used in Formula One. This was done to honor Bianchi.

Luca di Montezemolo also said that Ferrari had chosen Bianchi for their future team. He was seen as a possible replacement for Kimi Räikkönen.

Chilton dedicated his first Indy Lights pole position and race win to Bianchi.

A minute of silence was held on the grid before the Hungarian Grand Prix Grand Prix. Bianchi's family was present. Drivers wore special stickers on their helmets and cars. Race winner, Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, dedicated his win to Bianchi and his family. Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo also dedicated their podium finishes to him.

In 2016, a street in Nice, France, was renamed Rue du Sapin in Bianchi's honor.

Charles Leclerc (Bianchi's godson) wore a special helmet at the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix. It had Bianchi's helmet design on one side.

At the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean had a big crash. His car broke in half and caught fire. Grosjean said the safety changes made after Bianchi's crash saved his life.

Jules Bianchi Foundation

In December 2015, Bianchi's father announced plans to create a foundation. It would honor Jules and help young drivers. The foundation would show Jules's racing items and sell merchandise. Prince Albert of Monaco supports the foundation.

Jules Bianchi's Racing Record

Career Summary

^† Bianchi was a guest driver, so he could not score points.

Complete Formula One Results

(key) (Races in bold mean pole position; races in italics mean fastest lap)

^† Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was counted because they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Images for kids

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  Bianchi at the 2012 Nürburgring World Series race

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  Bianchi during the opening round of the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series season at Hockenheim

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  Bianchi at Monza in 2011

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  Bianchi driving for Lotus ART during the Silverstone round of the 2011 GP2 season

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  Bianchi driving at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

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  Bianchi driving the Marussia MR03 at the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix

See also

In Spanish: Jules Bianchi para niños