"He was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future," world champion says
Monday 27 July 2015 14:24, UK
Lewis Hamilton says he and his fellow F1 drivers will "race hard" at the Hungarian GP in memory of Jules Bianchi, who he also reckons had a "bright future" in the sport.
The world champion was among the mourners at Bianchi's funeral in Nice on Tuesday and admits he wishes he'd known him better.
"Saying goodbye to Jules was incredibly hard for everyone," Hamilton said in a Mercedes preview ahead of this weekend's race. "For myself, I wished I had known him better. But from what I knew of him, he was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future.
"Now our sport embarks on a tough road ahead. We have been shown once more the dangers of our sport, that these should be respected and that we drivers commit ourselves to the chance that those dangers are there when we step into the car."
Bianchi died last Friday, nine months after he suffered serious head injuries in a crash at the Japanese GP.
"We have made great progress for safety thus far and I know that the FIA will continue to make steps forward to improve even further," Hamilton said.
The Briton, who has won in Budapest four times in eight years, continued: "Hungary is a beautiful place, one of my favourites. I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers and thoughts, not only this race but for the rest of my driving days.
"I know he'd want us to race hard as he did, and so I will," added Hamilton, who has also asked his followers on Twitter to design a #JB17 sticker he'll wear this weekend.
Hamilton's sentiments were echoed by team-mate Nico Rosberg. "It has been a very emotional week," he said. "The drivers paid our final respects to Jules and said farewell. He was a very talented driver and a good guy. My thoughts in these days are with his family and close friends.
"Everyone will be sharing the same feelings in the paddock this week - but we must race on and race hard for Jules as he would have wanted to be doing himself."
Meanwhile, organisers at the Hungaroring have confirmed that a minute's silence will be held before Sunday's race.
