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

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blitz24
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Or celebrating a life?

My cousin's funeral was one of the saddest events of my life - the funeral itself was very sad, despite the best efforts of people to keep the mood as light as possible, since that is what he would have wanted, and it is also what his children and family wanted as well.

However, the drinks reception afterwards was quite the opposite - plenty of laughter and good chat, and nothing but happy memories - and even the odd photo here and there too.

To some people the above pictures may indeed jar, but to me they look both respectful and reflective of the camaraderie and friendship that exists between everyone in F1 (and in motorsport more generally). Most importantly, the people that were Jules' friends ought to be able to remember him and reflect in whatever way they want, albeit within the bounds of what Jules' family want. And who would want a picture of all of his friends looking sad or crying (as I'm sure they all have been earlier in the day/week), when instead there could be a picture that reflects how people felt knowing Jules?
 
Vinylshark
I'm sorry, but those photos make me so angry right now. I really can't stand those smiles.
They just came back from Jules funeral and they all look so happy that you actually could be thinking that they're celebrating a birthday or something like that :mad:
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Have you ever heard of a wake? It is the done thing to have a party.
 
Vinylshark
I'm sorry, but those photos make me so angry right now. I really can't stand those smiles.
They just came back from Jules funeral and they all look so happy that you actually could be thinking that they're celebrating a birthday or something like that :mad:
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I've never been to a funeral where people didn't lighten up afterwards - burial/cremation is the jumping off point for getting over grief, helps people with acceptance, and often the relief at getting to that point after what is obviously a tough time can be quite powerful. Celebrate the life, don't cry about the death. Hell, I want fireworks at mine!
 
I never understood and probably never will understand how people can leave a funeral and keep going back to "buisness as usual" like nothing even happend. It just feels wrong to me, but looks like I'm the only one who thinks like this.
 
Vinylshark
I never understood and probably never will understand how people can leave a funeral and keep going back to "buisness as usual" like nothing even happend. It just feels wrong to me, but looks like I'm the only one who thinks like this.
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I understand what you mean but realistically I think of it as "how would [insert name of friend/family here] want us to continue?" Sure there is this period of sadness, and the closer you are to the person the longer that period may be but as one gets over the grief of the loss of said person you start to understand that your life does not end because their life did, no matter how tragic it was. Personally, I would go back to "business as usual" in honour of my friend for a while.
My own funeral... I wouldn't want anyone upset at all. I want people to say: "Be happy because he lived, not sad because he died". And I am sure Jules would have wanted his friends to think something similar. Racing is in his blood and the blood of many of his friends. What better way to pay tribute than to race better than ever before and do it with a smile?
 
Vinylshark
I'm sorry, but those photos make me so angry right now. I really can't stand those smiles.
They just came back from Jules funeral and they all look so happy that you actually could be thinking that they're celebrating a birthday or something like that :mad:
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I'm going to guess that you're quite young and haven't had much funeral experience. Sadly it's inevitable that you get more as you get older.

The pictures are from a "wake" (I have no idea what the tradition's called elsewhere), it's a time of celebration for a life. I think you're mis-reading the photographs entirely.
 
TenEightyOne
I'm going to guess that you're quite young and haven't had much funeral experience. Sadly it's inevitable that you get more as you get older.

The pictures are from a "wake" (I have no idea what the tradition's called elsewhere), it's a time of celebration for a life. I think you're mis-reading the photographs entirely.
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I'm not sure if you can count 24 still as quite young, and so far I've been only once to a furneral.
My problem isn't really that people are happy again and going back to their daily routine, but I just don't understand why it has to happen right after the furneral? Why not wait till the next day? For me it just feels like people wouldn't really care or grief. I know it's not that way, but still. It just doesn't feel right to me, dunno why.
 
Vinylshark
I'm not sure if you can count 24 still as quite young, and so far I've been only once to a furneral.
My problem isn't really that people are happy again and going back to their daily routine, but I just don't understand why it has to happen right after the furneral? Why not wait till the next day? For me it just feels like people wouldn't really care or grief. I know it's not that way, but still. It just doesn't feel right to me, dunno why.
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24 is young in this context, you thankfully haven't lost so many close friends. You've only been to one funeral too, so I do think that as you age and they sadly become more constant, you will probably understand better why they have the wake. I'm not an expert on this subject, thank god.
 
Vinylshark
I'm not sure if you can count 24 still as quite young, and so far I've been only once to a furneral.
My problem isn't really that people are happy again and going back to their daily routine, but I just don't understand why it has to happen right after the furneral? Why not wait till the next day? For me it just feels like people wouldn't really care or grief. I know it's not that way, but still. It just doesn't feel right to me, dunno why.
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I don't know how many relatives you still are in touch with, nor how close for that matter. And hopefully we all live to a long age and go peacefully, but when people start dropping like flies, you sort of get used to it. I've been to several in my life, almost one per finger (I still have 10), and yeah, the first few sucked because I was barely old enough to realize that someone is going into the ground. They were long, everyone sweats, and I always had a huge wedgie, but that was when I was like 8-10. When I realized what was happening, yeah, it sucked still, even worse. Now it's commonplace almost, and sadly there are many to go.

But the wake, post-funeral, whatever you call it have never had any negative looks on anyone. It's generally a family reunion -1 person... And you're in their house too, which is kinda weird. But I digress, that they are not joyful he is gone, but just smiling for the camera...
 
Alonso isn't there. He probably took the McLaren Honda, and in fitting tribute to the 2015 season, lost the engine as he pulled out of the driveway.
 
Blitz24
Alonso isn't there. He probably took the McLaren Honda, and in fitting tribute to the 2015 season, lost the engine as he pulled out of the driveway.
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Speaking of Alonso. It's a bit weird that he didn't attend (alteast it looks like he didn't) considering how often he used the #forzajules on Twitter and Facebook. Looks he and Jules got along very well when Jules was at Ferrari as a test driver.
 
[Nor]MclarenF1
Speaking of Alonso. It's a bit weird that he didn't attend (alteast it looks like he didn't) considering how often he used the #forzajules on Twitter and Facebook. Looks he and Jules got along very well when Jules was at Ferrari as a test driver.
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Maybe he couldn't bring himself to do it. I couldn't imagine attending a good friends funeral after he's died with so much ahead of him. I'd be a wreck.

But I'm not Alonso, so I can only speculate on how he feels. But it is strange that he wasn't there...
 
To go in regards to that with Alonso. Massa, was very very emotional publicly to the other racers. We all know what happened with him. He has a family and young kids IIRC. Most F1 drivers have a girlfriend but not married like Niko who is expecting as well.... (Yes Seb has a baby as well). Massa was probably very close to Jules as well, since Jules was with Ferrari Driver Academy when Massa was there.
 
yzfmike
To go in regards to that with Alonso. Massa, was very very emotional publicly to the other racers. We all know what happened with him. He has a family and young kids IIRC. Most F1 drivers have a girlfriend but not married like Niko who is expecting as well.... (Yes Seb has a baby as well). Massa was probably very close to Jules as well, since Jules was with Ferrari Driver Academy when Massa was there.
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So was Maldonado, so was Grosjean. I think you can over-read things, the drivers were all very upset.
 
Vinylshark
My problem isn't really that people are happy again and going back to their daily routine, but I just don't understand why it has to happen right after the furneral? Why not wait till the next day? For me it just feels like people wouldn't really care or grief. I know it's not that way, but still. It just doesn't feel right to me, dunno why.
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A couple of reasons really. Firstly, you leave and go home straight after the end of the funeral, your lasting memory is going to be of your loved one/friend disappearing into the ground or through the doors to the incinerator. The wake allows you to remember and swop stories with others, giving you a lasting memory of that person in better times. Secondly, everyone is already there together. Getting together at some point afterwards is likely to be logistically difficult.
 
Vinylshark
I never understood and probably never will understand how people can leave a funeral and keep going back to "buisness as usual" like nothing even happend. It just feels wrong to me, but looks like I'm the only one who thinks like this.
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Thats life, you morn, say goodbye and move on but they will never forget him and the smiles were them putting on a brave face, deep down im sure they were crying there hearts out.
 
neljack
Not really certain why I'm asking this question, maybe just curious, was Bianchi cremated or buried?
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To soon?
 
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Those figures are extraordinary, simply the result of nothing to absorb the collision. He must have been fighting fiercely to remain with us for 9 months after that horrific ordeal :(.
 

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