The FIA will retire Jules Bianchi's number 17 from Formula 1
| By Ian Parkes | Monday, July 20th 2015, 14:05 GMT |
The FIA is to retire the number 17 from the list of those available for Formula 1 drivers as a mark of respect following the death of Jules Bianchi.
Following a nine-month battle for survival after sustaining severe injuries in a crash during the Japanese Grand Prix last October, Frenchman Bianchi passed away at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in his home city of Nice on Friday.
A statement on the FIA website read: "Jean Todt, President of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced the car number 17 will be retired from the FIA Formula One World Championship in honour of Jules Bianchi.
"As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi's number 17.
"As a result, this number can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship."
Bianchi's funeral is to be held on Tuesday, with a service taking place at the Sainte Reparate Cathedral, Nice, from 10am.
