Jules Bianchi ‘never far from thoughts’: Manor Marussia Director Graeme Lowdon

Almost a year has passed since the deadly crash at the Suzuka Circuit during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix that left Manor Marussia driver, Jules Bianchi, with severe traumatic brain damage. After a nine-month fight for survival, the 25-year-old Frenchman succumbed to his injuries on July 17. At the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix over the weekend, Bianchi’s memories are never far from Manor Marussia’s thoughts, says Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon.

“Jules is never far from our thoughts,” Lowdon told Autosport. “We’re not going to Japan, and we have to go there as a team and conduct our business in a professional way, and we have to be strong.”

Lowdon said that it will be tough for the Manor team to go to Suzuka after Bianchi’s tragic accident. However, he added that they would try not to dwell on the negative aspects of Bianchi’s death. They would, instead, encourage each other through this rough time as Bianchi would want them to move on and focus on racing.

The team reportedly is still unable to make a decision on how they can pay tribute to their former driver. Lowdon wears a red wristband that says “Monaco 2014. P8. #JB17” every day to honour Bianchi, who scored Marussia’s first points in Formula One (F1) at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix.

On Oct. 5, 2014, Bianchi’s vehicle collided into a crane that was attending to Sauber’s Adrian Sutil’s vehicle, which crashed in the same area before. He was immediately treated at the crash site before he was taken to a hospital, where he stayed for a month. Bianchi was then transferred to a medical facility in his home town in Nice, France. After nine months of fighting for his life, Bianchi finally succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the Suzuka crash.

At the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, Bianchi’s fellow F1 racers paid tribute by offering a moment of silence for the French driver. Bianchi’s family made brave appearance at the Hungaroring Circuit to see the F1 drivers united in tribute to Bianchi. Sebastian Vettel, who was one of the pallbearers during Bianchi’s funeral, won the Hungarian Grand Prix and dedicated the victory to the fallen Marussia driver.

Bianchi drove his first F1 race at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix. He was the first race after Brazilian racing icon and three-time F1 World Champion Ayrton Senna, who perished due to the injuries sustained from a crash during an F1 race. Senna was killed on May 1, 1994 during the San Marino Grand Prix.

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