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THE INCOMPLETE LOVE STORY OF JULES BIANCHI AND AURORA LECLERC Saturday 27 August 2022 By Phil Blackwood
For those of you who are new to the world of motorsport and Formula One, the name Jules Bianchi may have only been heard of in passing but his name holds a story of inspiration, bravery and tragedy.
For the ones who are unaware, Jules Bianchi, born in Nice, France was a Formula One racer for Marussia F1 Team in the 2013 and 2014 F1 seasons. Prior to joining the coveted stage of Formula One, Bianchi also saw tremendous success in the Formula 3 Euro Series and French Formula Renault 2.0 series and is one of the first members of the Ferrari Drivers Academy. The French driver saw his Formula One debut as a practice driver for Sahara Force India in 2012.
At the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, Bianchi finished in ninth, putting Marussia up in points for the first time in four years and ultimately saving the team from being auctioned off by renewing investors' interest. During the same year, it was announced that Fernando Alonso would be departing from Ferrari and there were high speculations about Bianchi filling the seat.
Things seemed to be looking up for the man deemed the potential future of Ferrari until the tragic weekend at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix turned it all around.
The conditions at Suzuka were treacherous during the race weekend with typhoon season in full swing and delayed the race from getting underway. Amidst the pouring rain, Bianchi lost control of his Marussia and clashed with a recovery vehicle. The impact was brutal and the driver suffered a diffuse axonal injury which is caused by severe damage to the head.
Bianchi's parents, his siblings and best friends, Lorenzo and Aurora Leclerc - siblings of Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc were present at the Marussia garage during that weekend in Suzuka.
Following the accident, Jules Bianchi was transferred to a hospital in his hometown of Nice, France while the world prayed for him to wake up from a coma. It came as a surprise to no one as the entire Formula One community across the globe came out with tremendous sympathy and love, from fans, drivers and team principals alike. Jules Bianchi, to this day, continues to be a beacon of inspiration and a role model to many.
One of his most staunch supporters comes in the form of his godson, Charles Leclerc, who has been vocal about Bianchi's influence throughout his whole career. "I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for [him]," Leclerc said, back in 2017 as a Formula 2 racer. The older racer not only coached the Monegasgue in his earlier years but also stepped up to finance his blooming career when in 2011, Leclerc had to take a step back from racing due to the family's financial difficulties.
