Jules Bianchi

Jules Lucien André Bianchi (3 August 1989 - 17 July 2015): French racing driver from Nice, France, grandson of endurance racer Mauro Bianchi and great-nephew of F1 driver Lucien Bianchi. Competed in Formula 1 for Marussia from 2013 to 2014, making 34 starts and scoring 2 career points. After winning the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series and finishing 3rd in GP2 in both 2010 and 2011, Bianchi joined Marussia as the first member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. He achieved a historic 9th place at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, scoring the first and only points for both himself and the Marussia team.

Tragically, at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, Bianchi aquaplaned off track in wet conditions and collided with a recovery crane at 123 km/h, sustaining massive head injuries. He remained in a coma until his death nine months later, becoming the first F1 driver to die from Grand Prix injuries since Ayrton Senna in 1994. His accident led to mandatory halo cockpit protection and the Virtual Safety Car system. The FIA retired his race number 17 in his memory.