On this solemn day, Charles Leclerc’s words echo not only the pain of loss but the deep gratitude of a bond that shaped his life and career.
Ten years have passed since Jules Bianchi succumbed to injuries sustained during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix – a crash that stunned the motorsport world and robbed it of one of its most promising young talent.
For Leclerc, the anniversary is more than a date. It’s a moment to remember not just a fallen F1 driver, but his godfather and the young man who helped guide him – not from the grandstands, but from beside him, like a brother.
“The first memories that I recall of Jules are not of Jules the driver, but rather Jules the person, as I experienced him a lot more as a human being rather than a racer,” the Scuderia charger told F1.com.
More Than a Mentor
Their friendship started through family ties. Jules was best friends with Leclerc’s older brother, Lorenzo, and quickly became a constant figure in the Leclerc household.
"We spent so much time together growing up and both of our families were and still are extremely close. My older brother and him were best friends, so he was always around,” added Charles.
What formed between Charles and Jules was something beyond just admiration. It was familiarity, affection, and laughter. Leclerc recalled one particularly sweet – and humorous – memory from their childhood.
"I've got some stories from that time, like the first horror movie I watched was actually with Jules,” He recalled.
“He didn't know I was pretending to be asleep. He was trying to make sure that I was asleep because he wanted to watch that movie with my older brother!"
Even in this lighthearted tale, Leclerc captures the care Jules extended toward him – a big brother shielding his younger protégé from fear, even if Leclerc was sneakily awake the whole time.
But beyond the playfulness, it was Bianchi’s warmth and spirit that left an indelible mark.
“Jules was such a genuinely nice person,” Leclerc said. “He was very funny and he had his crazy moments when you got to know him very well. He was just always happy to help and very happy to have fun as well.”
Fueling the Fire: Karting Days and Competitiveness
Most of Leclerc’s most cherished memories with Bianchi were born under the sun at a karting track run by Jules’ father, Philippe Bianchi. It was there, long before Ferrari and Monaco glitz, that a future world-class driver was being forged — in mischief, competition, and pure joy.
"Normally rental karts are for adults but his father was managing the track and obviously was letting us do things that maybe we were not too allowed,” Leclerc recalled.
“I looked up to him so to be racing with him, with my older brother, with his younger brother, and many, many other professional karting drivers at the time was incredible.
Charles Leclerc with Jules Bianchi and his father, Hervé Leclerc.
“We had so much fun. We would hang out and wait for the karting track to close to the public so we could get on. Then we’d go crazy on track for hours and hours. These are probably the most special memories I have."
From these endless days and late evenings on the track came one of the traits that defines Leclerc today - his fierce, unwavering competitiveness. That too, he credits to Bianchi.
“Jules was the most competitive person I've ever met and I feel like I have that competitiveness in me because of Jules,” he said.
“When we were doing some races in karting, there was that competitiveness but also in the most stupid things we did at home, there was exactly the same competitiveness. He would get so frustrated when he lost anything!"
The Legacy That Lives On
Jules Bianchi, who was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, never got the chance to drive for a top team in Formula 1 – a cruel twist of fate for someone who had the talent to reach the very top. But for Leclerc, Bianchi’s legacy isn't confined to results or missed podiums.
“Jules was an extremely talented driver, who unfortunately never had the chance to be in a top team with a car that was helping him to show the extent of his talent,” Leclerc said solemnly.
But perhaps more than anything, it is the light Jules carried – the kind of human he was — that Leclerc holds closest.
"There are some people where you can see through their eyes, through their smile, how good of a person they are – and I think Jules is one of them,” he added.
"This is probably the most important thing for me to remember from Jules – how kind of a human being he was and how dedicated he was to try and reach his goals."
As the world remembers Jules Bianchi a decade after his passing, Charles Leclerc carries that memory not just in words, but in every lap he races, every risk he takes, and every time he smiles through the helmet — with a bit of Jules still beside him.
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