#17 to be retired in honour of Jules Bianchi
- Jul 20, 2015
- 1 min read
The FIA announced today that #17 will no longer be available as a driver number in honour of Jules Bianchi.
The Frenchman passed away after fighting for his life in hospital for nine months following a collision with a recovery vehicle in the wet conditions of the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
An FIA statement said: "As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi's number 17."
Drivers across the world have been paying their respects to the up and coming star.
In rather tragic news, former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo revealed to Sky Sports Italia that Bianchi was to replace Kimi Raikkonen. This is a move that was suspected given Bianchi's close links with the Italian team and the numerous test days he drove with them.
Bianchi's funeral will take place in Nice on Tuesday.
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