5 of Formula 1's greatest lost talents

Jules Bianchi is the most recent F1 driver to die during a race weekend, but he's far from the first.
Jules Bianchi is the most recent F1 driver to die during a race weekend, but he's far from the first.

#5 - Jules Bianchi (1989 - 2014)

Jules Bianchi's ninth place at Monaco was on of the best performances in recent years
Jules Bianchi's ninth place at Monaco was on of the best performances in recent years

When Sebastian Vettel won the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, he famously stated that Jules Bianchi would've been in the Ferrari "sooner or later", and it's hard to disagree with the German. Bianchi only competed in two F1 seasons, but like Bellof, he left a lasting impression on everybody.

The Frenchman drove for Marussia during his whole career, but had come through the Ferrari driver academy, being the first driver to be signed onto the programme. The Marussia wasn't a competitive car, in fact, it was probably the slowest on the grid during 2013 and '14. However, that didn't stop Jules from finishing in the top ten, crossing the line eighth at the Monaco Grand Prix. A penalty demoted him to ninth, but this was the team's only ever points haul.

A tragic crash at that year's Japanese GP curtailed what was promising to be a superb career, as Bianchi became Formula 1's first fatality for over 20 years. Had Bianchi lived past his 25 years, it would've been fascinating to see how he'd stack up against Vettel and perhaps Charles Leclerc too. We've been robbed of that scenario, but we should be thankful that we got to witness an immense talent competing.

Jules Bianchi remains Formula 1's most recent, and hopefully last, fatality during a Grand Prix.

Would you like to read some more bios of F1's greatest lost talents? Let us know in the comments below!

Complete list of F1 Driver Deaths

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