Charles Leclerc Shared Heartwarming Message After A 42-Hour Karting Race In Memory Of Jules Bianchi

Saajan Jogia | Sep 9, 2024

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles LeClerc of Monaco (16) celebrates after securing pole position during qualifying at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took part in a 42-hour karting marathon in a tribute to his late friend and mentor Jules Bianchi, who introduced him to the Ferrari fraternity and took him to the outfit's Maranello headquarters for the first time.

Jules Bianchi, a rising star in Formula 1, saw his career tragically end after a fatal accident during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Leclerc, who had a close relationship with the late F1 driver, participated in a karting event at Paul Ricard on Sunday, organized by Sodi Kart and the Bianchi Foundation for the second year in a row.

Motivated by his close friendship with Bianchi, Leclerc raced with unwavering determination, joining a host of sports and entertainment figures. The team relay race, featuring teams of 5 to 20 drivers, began on the evening of Friday, September 6, and wrapped up on the afternoon of Sunday, September 8.

What a team 😘🏆
42 hours of flat out racing, that was fun!!
Good to be raising money for the Jules Bianchi association ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cVXMM8gBz8
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) September 9, 2024

Jules' father, Philippe Bianchi, who co-organized the event with driver Franck Lagorce, said in a statement, as reported by Scuderiafans.com:

“It’s exceptional, this year we have 32 teams at the start, making 400 drivers, including several VIPs who told us it was an honor for them to be there for Jules. This shows how much he left a mark on people."

Leclerc, who won the Italian Grand Prix the previous weekend at Monza, flew down to the event. He explained his role in the unique race where his team would be disqualified eventually. He said:

“I’ll be in two teams, one with professional drivers, where we’ll be disqualified in the end, and another with my friends, who are a bit less talented behind the wheel of a kart, and I’ll try to help them, at least to get into the top 5, we’ll give it our all.”

However, the Ferrari driver had warned ahead of the race that he wouldn't be light on the competition. When asked if he would be lenient with other drivers by leaving gaps to pass, he denied strongly, saying:

“No, never, I’m a competitor and it’s very difficult for me to pretend to lose, even in a race like this, we’ll give it our all to get a good result, I won’t make any concessions.”

Leclerc, set to team up with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next year, won this year's Monaco Grand Prix and honored Jules Bianchi by gifting his race helmet to his father. This heartfelt gesture profoundly touched the Bianchi family, adding a special meaning to Leclerc's triumph.