Last Updated on January 7 2026, 10:35 pm

The family of the late Jules Bianchi, a former Formula 1 driver who tragically died in 2015, has fallen victim to a major and deeply distressing theft. In an emotional Facebook post, his father, Philippe Bianchi, confirmed that numerous go-karts had been stolen from the family’s private property in recent days, including the final kart ever raced by Jules himself.

This shocking incident has sparked widespread sympathy and concern across the motorsport community, not only because of the financial loss involved but also because of the immense sentimental value of the stolen items.

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Numerous Go-Karts Missing

According to Philippe Bianchi, nine kart chassis were taken in total, all clearly marked with the ‘JB 17 Forever’ label, a tribute to Jules and his enduring legacy in motorsport. The stolen equipment included Jules Bianchi’s final kart, a KZ125 ART GP model, as well as several mini-karts belonging to his grandsons.

In his appeal, Bianchi made clear that the emotional impact of the theft far outweighs the material damage. “Aside from the physical value of the machines, it’s the sentimental value that hurts us most,” he wrote. He urged anyone who might come across karts bearing the JB-17 markings to contact the family or the authorities immediately.

The fact that such distinctive and easily recognisable equipment was targeted gives hope that the stolen karts may yet be recovered, particularly with the support of the wider karting and racing community.

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A Foundation Built on Jules’ Legacy

Following Jules Bianchi’s tragic death, his family established a foundation in his name to help young drivers take their first steps into motorsport. Karting, long recognised as the foundation of nearly every professional racing career, lies at the heart of the initiative.

The stolen karts were not just stored memorabilia or commercial assets. They were actively used to support aspiring young racers, continuing Jules’ own journey from karting prodigy to Formula 1 driver. Therefore, the loss represents a direct blow to the foundation’s mission, as well as to the memory of Jules himself.

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Bianchi’s Fatal Formula 1 Accident

Jules Bianchi died from injuries sustained during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Racing in extremely wet conditions and under yellow flag warnings, he lost control of his Marussia and slid into the rear of a recovery vehicle that was removing Adrian Sutil’s crashed car from the circuit.

Although he survived the initial impact, he suffered severe head injuries and underwent emergency surgery before being placed in a medically induced coma. In November 2014, his parents announced that he was breathing independently again, offering a glimmer of hope.

Tragically, after eight months in a coma, Jules Bianchi succumbed to his injuries on 17 July 2015. This marked the first fatality resulting from a Formula 1 race accident since Ayrton Senna’s death in 1994.

Today, more than a decade later, the case has reopened old wounds for a family still devoted to preserving Jules Bianchi’s legacy, who are now calling on the motorsport world for help.

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NEXT ARTICLE – Ferrari’s 2 cars designed for 2026. More Maranello madness?

The six race run in which concluded the 2024 Formula One season did not quite have the excitement of 2025 where the drivers’ championship was decided at the final chequered flag of the season. Max Verstappen in fact claimed the 2024 title in Las Vegas with two race weekends remaining.

However in terms of the constructors’ championship, the 2024 run in was nail biting for McLaren who once held a 74 point lead over Ferrari as the sport embarked on its final two triple header six races.

Two wins together with six podiums from Austin to Abu Dhabi saw the Scuderia come within just 14 points of their first championship since 2008. Yet at the annual Ferrari festive bash, Fred Vasseur announced that their 2025 F1 challenger would be an entirely new car.

 

Ferrari strange decision in 2024

This was confusing for a number of reasons. Firstly the SF-24 finished the year the strongest, but the Scuderia designed a car for 2025 that was “99% new components.” The team switched their tried and tested front suspension from its push rod configuration to a pull rod design.

But this was the final year of a set of car design technical regulations and the remainder of the field were refining their 2024 challenger. The result? The decision was proven to be a huge mistake, as the Scuderia failed to win a single Grand Prix and claimed just seven podiums all thanks to Charles Leclerc.

Now La Gazzetta in Italy is reporting Ferrari have design two cars for 2026, one for early testing and the other for the opening round of the season in Australia. Of course teams historically have launched a car for testing and then refined it significantly before it first races in anger, but two cars to start the year?

Yet building two different cars before the tyre turns in anger seems a strange approach, yet the madness of Maranello means nothing can be ruled out from the mercurial F1 racers. “Fred Vasseur’s team will present itself to the pre-seasonal tests with different versions of the same car, to best test solutions and set-ups,” reports La Gazetta…READ MORE ON THIS STORY