Jules Bianchi passes away following accident at 2014 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix

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Furinkazen
In the words of Mario Andretti:

“Unhappily, motor racing is also this”

RIP :(
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I'm happy its not like it used to be. But that makes the news so much harder to hear.
 
sk8er913
I'm happy its not like it used to be. But that makes the news so much harder to hear.
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Same. People complain about a lot of the newer safety devices like noses or "Tilkedromes" (as many F1 tracks are being called nowadays) but never stop to think about the fact that these changes mean we don't lose drivers every year, and I'm sure that is more important than how a car looks.
 
legacyMACHINE
Same. People complain about a lot of the newer safety devices like noses or "Tilkedromes" (as many F1 tracks are being called nowadays) but never stop to think about the fact that these changes mean we don't lose drivers every year, and I'm sure that is more important than how a car looks.
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People probably also complain when chicanes are added. But I think that sometimes it makes the track more interesting. And usually its a safety feature too. So...
 
Tragic. I was born in September 1994, and over the years you did begin to wonder whether it was really possible you wouldn't live through the death of an F1 driver by the hands of an F1 race, the sport had been made so safe..........

It's comforting at least that he left so many good memories - he's a hero to be celebrated, no doubt. The championships he surely would have won will just have to live on in our dreams.

ForzaJules........ :(
 
TRGTspecialist
Tragic. I was born in September 1994, and over the years you did begin to wonder whether it was really possible you wouldn't live through the death of an F1 driver by the hands of an F1 race, the sport had been made so safe..........

It's comforting at least that he left so many good memories - he's a hero to be celebrated, no doubt. The championships he surely would have won will just have to live on in our dreams.

ForzaJules........ :(
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September 1994 here too... this is only the 5th incident that I have knowingly lived through. Dale Earnhardt, Alan Siminson, Wheeldon, Jann Mardenburghs incident and now this. For a minute it makes me question why I like racing so much. But everytime something happens, we improve it so that it doesn't happen again. And that makes it easier. Look at that crash Austin Dillon had at Daytona, the scary wrecks from the LMP1s every year at LM, and the big one from Daytona 24h 2014. We have come a long way. And hopefully if they fix the problem it won't happen for a very very long time.

I just listed some incredible racing incidents that drivers walked away from. But there are also thousands of people who are here because of the development that goes into road cars. Maybe some of us here are here, because of an accident in the past that brought new safety features.
 
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We tend to forget that no matter how safe we try to make the sport, much with many things in life actually, there are always loopholes and something new that we don't foresee or overlook until they show themselves, as with the incident involving Jules' unfortunate accident. We need to remember that these drivers choose this sport, all of them have the risks ever-present in the back of their minds.

I'm 1,000% sure that if there was a way to maintain the excitement factor that Motorsports brings without there ever being a single crash, injury or death, we'd already be seeing it. Sadly, this is not possible and hence why we still see these things happening, albeit not as frequently. We are steps closer than we have ever been before, a testament to this being (not that it's much comfort) that it has been 20 years since we've had something like this in a Formula 1 race. And testament to the regulations of the sport prior to the VSC, it took the "perfect storm" for something like this to happen. Monsoon conditions, a car and recovery vehicle at an unlikely location for incidents, and Jules losing control at precisely the wrong moment.

Think about it, we're talking about refining the safety and regulations and can blame anyone we want for the fact that the incident happened at Japan last year, and yet it's probably the single most freakish example of many small elements coming together in a single moment of horrible misfortune.
 
I want to see everyone with this avatar for atleast at day, a good tribute to Jules from GTP.
 
When I saw his name pop up on my news feed my heart sank. RIP Jules, go racing with the angels buddy :(
 
Chris123
When I saw his name pop up on my news feed my heart sank. RIP Jules, go racing with the angels buddy :(
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My heart has been sinking the last few times I've received a notification for this thread... 12 hours after the announcement, and it just is surreal. It hasn't quite sunk in and probably won't until F1 next weekend when we go through this grieving process again at Hungary. :(

The one thing that's surprised me was the outpouring of emotion. It truly overwhelmed me. I mean, this site basically became a place to grieve and #RIPJulesBianchi started trending worldwide on Twitter. Makes me think how much outpouring of grief would have occurred had Social Media exsisted in 1994.

Again, we've lost a bright star in Jules today, and a general all around good guy. And there's not many of them around in Motorsport nowadays, which makes the loss just that bit more unbearable. Sending my prayers and condolences to family and friends of Jules in this unimaginably difficult time for them.
 
R.I.P Jules

iu
 
@Blitz24... I'm sure you're going to anyway... but sadly a thread title change is needed, I think.

It's strange to think how this thread started out as an F1 GP thread like any other :(
 
Bianchi was my favourite driver, one of the very few people that deserved the best, maybe the only one ... RIP Jules :nervous:
 
So sad to hear that one of Formula One's brightest stars has gone out.

Sad news to hear over breakfast but not at all surprising. Jules is at peace now.

RIP Jules Bianchi
 
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TRGTspecialist
Tragic. I was born in September 1994, and over the years you did begin to wonder whether it was really possible you wouldn't live through the death of an F1 driver by the hands of an F1 race, the sport had been made so safe..........
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I was born a month later and I also had the same thought. It is easy to assume that Formula 1 is a relatively safe sport nowadays since there has been no deaths of a racing driver for over two decades but Motorsport is dangerous - That's been the case and will be forever more. This news will undoubtedly be a massive shock to everyone involved in Motorsport and its fans.

RIP Jules Bianchi.
 
Just got this sad news thid morning on my regular new feed....the first thing that came was senna and dijiro kato...anyhow may his family and loved ones find peace...if anything RIP :(
 
Edit: Already posted (MiniDrivers tribute to Jules Bianchi) on page 46

The ending ...
 
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I've just woken up and heard the news this morning. Needles to say, not what you'd want to wake up to.
It has been 20 years, but still not long enough. Truly tragic news.

#ForzaJules
 
Can't say I know a lot about Formula One, or watch it all that often, but a loss in any type of motorsport is always very hard. I never want to see any driver, be it love them or hate them, get injured during a race, even moreso someone so young, but in my honest opinion, I'd rather seem him pass on in peace, than live his whole life in that state. How can one say they have truely lived in that state at all?

Nonetheless, condolences to to the family. Taking a quote from IndyCar, "Why do we always say until next time? Because goodbye is always so final."

Goodbye Jules Bianchi. Rest In Peace.
 
TheBook
To paraphrase a comment I read elsewhere: "Your stint is over. We're all proud of you. Box box box." RIP, Jules.
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That's awesome.

Race in Peace Jules, may your green pastures be a circuit with the other greats we've lost too soon.
 
NW48
My heart has been sinking the last few times I've received a notification for this thread... 12 hours after the announcement, and it just is surreal. It hasn't quite sunk in and probably won't until F1 next weekend when we go through this grieving process again at Hungary. :(

The one thing that's surprised me was the outpouring of emotion. It truly overwhelmed me. I mean, this site basically became a place to grieve and #RIPJulesBianchi started trending worldwide on Twitter. Makes me think how much outpouring of grief would have occurred had Social Media exsisted in 1994.

Again, we've lost a bright star in Jules today, and a general all around good guy. And there's not many of them around in Motorsport nowadays, which makes the loss just that bit more unbearable. Sending my prayers and condolences to family and friends of Jules in this unimaginably difficult time for them.
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The guy so much ahead of him, I knew he'd never make it back to F1 but kept hoping he could pull through. I'm just praying Schumi doesn't leave us too soon.
 
I'm saddened to hear Jules Bianchi passed away. His was the first death due to an F1 accident since Ayrton Senna. And for all the safety improvements over the decades, we can be profoundly grateful.

I've never been so sad as the day my hero Jim Clark died. I was a new teenaged fan of racing, and death seemed very far away. It wasn't, as it came over and over again in the sixties, seventies and eighties. In '82 I counted every F1 driver who ever raced, and found that about 165 F1 drivers (~33%) died behind the wheel of some kind of racer. It's good that those days are gone.

So goodbye, Jules. We hope to always remember you as the last hero who died.
 
What a sad day. I first "heard" this sad new on Instagram, when I saw people using #ciaojules #ripjules.

RIP Jules Bianchi, may God help you family during these hard times.
 
Saw this last night whilst I was out. Really saddened by this. Such a shame and a sad end to a crap situation.

Thoughts with the family.
 
I'm very shocked that Jules Bianchi has died. A very sad day not just for Marussia and Formula One, but also for his family and friends. I wish my condolences for them.

R.I.P. Jules Bianchi. :(
 
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