In Monaco, Romain Grosjean wears a helmet in tribute to Jules Bianchi
A fine gesture from the Haas driver, who will be racing in the Principality with a helmet bearing the effigy of the hero of the 2014 edition, who tragically passed away in July 2015.
This Tuesday, Romain Grosjean revealed on social media a special livery for the upcoming race weekend, created in association with designer Adrien Paviot.
From the first laps, a very special number will be placed on the back of his helmet: 17. This number, since retired by the FIA, will be accompanied by the portrait of Jules Bianchi, and by the mention of his main achievement: « Monaco 2014. P9 ».
Two years ago, the driver from Nice indeed delivered an exceptional performance at the wheel of the Marussia, now Manor. Starting 19th, Jules Bianchi was able to rely on some retirements but, above all, on his talent to secure a ninth-place finish under the checkered flag. Fans remember a masterfully driven race, particularly an audacious overtake on Kamui Kobayashi’s Caterham at the Rascasse corner.
For the anecdote, Jules Bianchi even finished eighth ahead of Romain Grosjean, before finally receiving a five-second penalty. This ninth place is still the team’s best finish to date. None of the other drivers since have managed to score points.
This performance will be remembered as the pinnacle of a career cut short in its prime. In the torrential rain at Suzuka, Jules Bianchi crashed head-on into a recovery vehicle after exiting at the seventh turn during the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, October 5, 2014. Plunged into a deep coma, he succumbed to his injuries on July 17, 2015.
Romain Grosjean will therefore pay a vibrant tribute to the memory of his former teammate.
Monaco Memories: 2014
Jules Bianchi scoring Manor’s First and only points.
What a great drive.
🙁 #RIPJULES #JB17 https://t.co/iWT3HsLJUn — alidakhan123 (@alidakhan123) 23 mai 2016
Let’s bet that the FIA will give its approval for such an initiative. Let’s recall that since the end of the 2014 season, drivers have been required to stick to only one helmet design for the entire season. But the former Lotus driver bypassed the regulations anyway by only modifying the back of his helmet.
Beyond this regulatory point, this Monegasque weekend will be an occasion to remember the performances of the late champion. As a reminder, his father Philippe designed a karting model last February adorned with the initials JB, which could soon be entered in national and international championships.
