Remembering Jules Bianchi on the 10th anniversary of his death

On July 17 2015, Jules Bianchi passed away nine months on from his crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. It marked the first time a driver had died from injuries sustained during a world championship race since Ayrton Senna 21 years prior. In the decade that has followed Bianchi's passing, the sport has not abandoned memories of the Frenchman, who once seemed destined for greatness in F1. Whether it be the memorials in place on every trip to Suzuka or the consistent tributes voiced by godson Charles Leclerc, Bianchi remains a figure etched into everyday discussions about the sport. Bianchi enjoyed a successful junior career en route to F1, winning various races and championships while catching the eye of Ferrari. After a successful test with the famous Italian squad, Bianchi signed on as a junior member and thus, the Ferrari Driver Academy that we know today was born. He continued to test for the team across the following years as he continued to climb the junior formula, which included runs to third in the 2011 and 2012 GP2 championships. During the 2012 campaign, Bianchi was handed free practice outings at almost half of the race weekends with Force India, building experience with the hope of soon being promoted to a full-time race seat. Bianchi got his F1 break in 2013, receiving a late call-up by the Marussia team, who cancelled the contract of Luiz Razia during pre-season testing due to financial issues. Bianchi convincingly outpaced team-mate Max Chilton throughout the year, but the Marussia car proved to be uncompetitive, scoring a best result of 13th at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Under a new cycle of technical regulations in 2014, Marussia was once again a backmarker. However, at the Monaco Grand Prix, Bianchi drove his car to ninth at the chequered flag to score his and the team's only points in F1. The huge achievement marked a substantial moment for the organisation, the highs of which were felt all the way to the tragic weekend at Suzuka. In torrential conditions, Bianchi lost control of his car and spun off the track. He collided with a recovery tractor that was dealing with the stricken Sauber of Adrian Sutil. Following surgery, he was placed into an induced coma, a state in which he remained until his passing nine months later. Bianchi remains the last driver to date to suffer fatal injuries in a grand prix.  His passing accelerated the push for a cockpit protection device to be introduced in F1, with the halo becoming mandatory from the start of the 2018 season. But the Nice-born driver's legacy stretches beyond vital safety improvements that are constantly being reviewed to boost competitor safety. In F1, Binachi was always an underdog, but always a star performer. He kept up his competitive spirit despite Marussia's pecking order and never dismantled the strong reputation he built through his junior career. In a cruel twist, Bianchi was never afforded the chance to step into a front-running F1 car. Ferrari was touted as a future destination, and even through all the ' what ifs? ', those who were close to him always hailed his potential and ability to prove himself right at the forefront of motorsport competition. Unfortunately, Bianchi never got the chance. However, that particular denial has not stopped his name from remaining closely attached to the sport 10 years on from his final drive.