A decade on from the untimely death of Jules Bianchi following a crash at the infamous Suzuka circuit, his godson, Charles Leclerc will honour him with a special tribute in the form of a helmet to be worn in the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix at that same track.
“A special helmet in memory of a very special person to me,” said the Monegasque as he unveiled the helmet in a touching social media post.
It will be the 10th anniversary of Jules Bianchi’s terrible accident, which ultimately claimed his life months later, at the end of the year. Bianchi is still the latest in a long list of drivers to lose their lives on the demanding and very often rain sodden circuit.
Friends from childhood thanks to their families, Bianchi and Leclerc were often seen together doing what they loved.
Being older and more experienced, Bianchi was able to support Leclerc at the dawn of his career, allowing him in particular to be represented by Nicolas Todt in his karting years, which lead to the Monegasque joining the Ferrari Driver Academy at the end of the 2015 season. The rest is history.
Leclerc will therefore sport a very special helmet adorned with Bianchi’s racing number 17, paying tribute to a young talent taken too soon. The race will start at 7:00 CET on Sunday, April 7.
Featured image courtesy of @Charles_Leclerc on X
