Formula One commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone pays tribute to the late Jules Bianchi by claiming the sport must do everything “not to let this ever happen again”.

Having fought in a coma for nine months, the Nice-born racer died aged 25 on Friday night from the severe head injuries he sustained during last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Bianchi’s Marussia went off track in wet conditions at Suzuka and hit the tractor crane that had been sent out a lap earlier to recover the stricken Sauber of Adrian Sutil on the outside of Turn 7.

“It was so sad to hear the news about Jules,” said Ecclestone. “We are now going to miss a very talented driver and a really nice person.

“We must not let this ever happen again.”

The 84-year-old thus shares the views of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, with the organisation vowing to “never relent in improving safety” following Bianchi’s death.

The Frenchman became the first casualty in the sport for over two decades; since the fateful 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend claimed the lives of both Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger.

Jules Bianchi: 1989 - 2015

F1 drivers pay tribute to Bianchi after death at 25

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Julien Billiotte

Recent Posts

Colapinto camp stepped in after Ocon clash to prevent death threats

Franco Colapinto’s management opted for an extraordinary defensive maneuver after the Alpine driver’s clash with…

2 hours ago

F1 The Movie wins Oscar for Best Sound

F1 The Movie took a victory lap on Sunday evening at the 98th Academy Awards,…

3 hours ago

Formula 1's first and last unofficial starter

German driver Hans Heyer was born on this day in 1943, and while his main…

4 hours ago

Stella confirms engine-related failures, but won’t blame Mercedes

McLaren endured a bitterly frustrating weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix as both of its…

5 hours ago

Kirkwood beats Palou to claim Arlington IndyCar glory

Kyle Kirkwood delivered a masterpiece on Sunday in the shadows of AT&T Stadium, proving that…

7 hours ago

‘A horror show’: Wolff links Verstappen’s attacks to Red Bull’s woes

While Max Verstappen continues to wage a verbal war against Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, Mercedes…

7 hours ago