Charles Leclerc honours Jules Bianchi 11 years after his death
Charles Leclerc has once again paid tribute to his late friend and mentor Jules Bianchi, marking 11 years since the French Formula 1 driver's death with an emotional childhood photo and message.
Charles Leclerc has paid tribute to his late friend and mentor Jules Bianchi, marking 11 years since the French Formula 1 driver died from injuries sustained in his crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
Listen to this article
The Ferrari driver shared a childhood photo of the pair together on Instagram, writing simply: "11 years. Thinking of you ❤️."
Bianchi, who was Leclerc's godfather and one of his earliest racing influences, played a key role in the Monegasque's journey into motorsport.
Leclerc has often spoken about how Bianchi introduced him to karting and inspired his passion for Formula 1 with his talent, determination and generosity.
Bianchi was critically injured during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka when his Marussia crashed into a recovery vehicle in wet conditions.
He suffered a severe brain injury and remained in a coma for nine months before dying on 17 July 2015 at the age of 25.
His death was the first resulting from injuries sustained during a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend since Ayrton Senna in 1994 and led to major changes in the sport, including the introduction of the Virtual Safety Car system to improve driver safety.
Leclerc has continued to honour Bianchi's memory every year, reflecting the lasting impact the young French driver had on both his career and his life.