P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 drivers become inseparable from their driver numbers over the course of their career. Lewis Hamilton and 44. Max Verstappen and the number one.
F1 drivers often become synonymous with their driver numbers throughout their careers, like Lewis Hamilton with 44 and Max Verstappen with number one. However, one number that F1 stars can’t choose is 17, retired after the tragic passing of Jules Bianchi. The French driver raced for Marussia with the number 17 before his fatal accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Bianchi was a talented French driver and the godfather of Charles Leclerc, showing great potential in his short F1 career. His legacy includes prompting significant safety reforms in F1, such as the introduction of the halo cockpit protection device and the virtual safety car. Bianchi’s impact on F1 safety measures continues to be felt, potentially saving other drivers from serious accidents in the sport.
