Despite Jules Bianchi’s untimely fatal accident, the Frenchman’s funeral stirred up emotions amongst the F1 fraternity.
F1 drivers say Bianchi’s death will not change the way they approach their job or the way they drive.
Bianchi succumbed to the injuries he sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix last weekend. He had been in a coma for more than nine months and was laid to rest in his hometown of Nice.
Top F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, affirmed that despite being reminded of the dangers of motorsport, he and his rivals would race hard in memory of the late French F1 driver this weekend.
The reigning world champion was among the mourners at Bianchi’s funeral earlier this week, and admits that the Frenchman will be on his mind going forward, particularly as the F1 season heads into the final race of its first half, in Hungary, this weekend.
“Hungary is a beautiful place, one of my favourites, but I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers and thoughts, not only this race but for the rest of my driving days.”
“Jules was incredibly hard for everyone. I wished I had known him better but, from what I knew of him, he was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future. I know he would want us to race hard as he did, and so I will.”
“Now our sport embarks on a tough road ahead.”
All the drivers in Thursday’s official FIA press conference, ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, paid tribute to the late 25-year-old, but when quizzed if it will not affect what they do on the race-track.
“I don’t think it changes how you drive,” Felipe Massa added.
“When you close your visor you want the best – you want to finish in front and you want to do the best you can. Manoeuvres, overtaking, and the way you drive, your thinking, I don’t think it will change. ”
“I remember when I had my accident here. When I started driving again here in Hungary, always when I pass in that place I don’t remember I had the accident there. You don’t think about it – it stays in the past. Maybe when you get out of the car you will remember about Jules or other things. Now I remember about my accident but when I am driving I don’t. I don’t even think I have a mother, a father, my son, my wife or whatever, you don’t think about it. You just think about your job and your work and I don’t think that will change. But when I am not in the cockpit I have Jules all the time on my mind.”
Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez echoed those thoughts: “It opens your eyes,” Hulkenberg continued. “And tells us what we are doing, is what we are doing and there is still some risk involved. I think you just have to be aware of that and make your own choices at times in the car, how much risk you are willing to take, and be comfortable with it. For me personally it won’t change too much.”
“You know that there is a big level of risk, but it is what we love to do and when something like this happens to a colleague we all know it could have been ourselves in that car,” Perez continued.
“It doesn’t really change anything, however, I have had some accidents in the past and you know the risk is there – we all know that. It can happen in any practice, any day, as soon as you jump into the car. You know the risk is very high but it doesn’t really change anything. We want to give our best, we want to succeed and take every tenth out of the car. We just give it all and I don’t think it will change. We all have to make Jules very proud.”
Anthony Nlebem
@AnthonyNlebem
