From a very young age I have been fascinated with speed. I remember my first time setting my eyes on her. She had a bright red glow to her with sleek tan lines showing off her beautiful curves. She was wearing those deep black shinny shoes that glimmer with the right amount of sun light. I would say it was love at first sight but I was a mere five years old. I would say the feeling felt more like hearing that ice cream truck turning the corner of your street and your parents giving you a two dollar bill, I was on cloud nine! I only had to hear her name once and I knew it was going to be a life long relationship - "Ferrari 308 GTS".
My first ride was nothing like my first encounter. As I opened the door the smell of the Italian leather filled my senses. The tan interior was gleaming with that oh so touch me feeling. As I sat down, fasten my seat belt and listening to my dad tell me not to make a mess, have I gone to the washroom, and spit out your gum NOW! I held my cap with fear and my stomach began to fill with butterflies. Joe, the owner, asked if I was ready. I gave Joe the ole nod and BOOM! Like the opera, this Ferrari made all the right notes. We started slow maybe 40km/h or 50km/h, then 90km/h, 110km/h, eventually I noticed the dotted white lines on the road were solid. I would have said it was as good as sex but hey, I was five. I should say it felt as good as coming home on Halloween and eating all the good candies, especially Cheetos. Ferrari to some people is like a religion. From the very moment I accepted the faith, I was apart of the "Tifosi". My love affair with the brand, the cars, the sport, the heritage will never leave me. I can still recall my first race, first hat, first model car, heck I still recall my first lego toy. My father was the one who helped develop the passion I have today. There was no better way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning than glued to the tube watching Formula 1. Having lived through the Schumaker era and even experienced the "Kimi" effect, I have witnessed 6 championships, several feuds, and about three of four close encounters, "oh poor Alonso". In 2015 with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Riakkonen we again have the tools in place to win another title. It is every racers dream to race for the famed team. Like I said before it's like a religion, a way of life, a family, kind of like being in the mob. Everyone has a role and they do it without question. One mix up or "mistake" and maybe you'll end up in Nascar. From Jean Alesi, Eddie Irvine, Gilles Villenevue, Michael Schumaker, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, and to their current drivers Vettel and Kimi all of these people have lived their childhood dream of driving for Ferrari. With a number of new teams, cost effectiveness put in place, talent becoming scarce and the fight to become numero uno increasingly harder, many of the top teams have introduced a driver training or in Ferraris' case Scuderia Ferrari Driving Academy. From Lance Stroll to Sergio Perez, Jules Bianchi was apart of this exclusive academy. Formula 1 is a sport about money and how much you have to offer. Jules came into Formula 1 purely based on talent. He finally made the switch into F1 at the age of 23 with Marussia and Ferrari. Jules knew that he had a long ways to go given the fact that he was passed by mid field performer Force India. Jules consistently fought his way every race. Winning races would not be a priority for Jules at the moment given the fact that he was driving the least competitive car on the grid, Marussia. Top ten finishes were a mere dream at best but consistently beating back markers HRT and Caterham and for argument sakes Sauber were a reality. As Jules progressed with Marussia and subsequently Ferrari (Academy), that religion, that family aspect, that way of life shined through even stronger. With Marussia switching from Cosworth engines to Ferrari engines his drive and passion grew stronger. Beating Caterham in the constructors championship for two years running and outlasting HRT in Formula 1, Marussia looked like it would emerge from its roots and solidify their name in F1. 2014 was a very special year both for Jules and his current team Marussia. Currently sitting in 10th in the constructors and using money and upgrades smarter and wiser points no longer seemed out of the question. It was no longer about "if" they could score points it was about "when" they would score their first points! With my annual trip to the Canadian GP just around the corner, the only stop left was Monaco. I recall meeting Jules in Canada after the delight that was Monaco. You could feel that Jules was apart of the Ferrari Family. You could feel that he was going to be a star within Formula 1 in the coming years. Jules lived life how we should all experience it, happy and always smiling. He must have walked the track twice that day and with the heat I am sure he didn't want to spend another minute out there. The press, VIP, and members of the public were all at the track trying and fighting to get that split second to meet their idols. Many of the drivers are told to wait till press or media time for signatures, but not Jules. Jules was glowing, smiling and extremely grateful to sign signatures and mingle with the common folk. I still remember offering him my pen, slipping him my ticket and program and asking for his signature. I even had time to talk about the Monaco Race which made him smile even more! You could tell that Jules was apart of the Tifosi. I know that I have mentioned Monaco quiet a few times in recent paragraphs. Monaco is a track full of heritage, experience, culture and passion. It is a track where drivers find themselves, make a name for themselves, show the teams that they are indeed worth every penny that the spend on them! This year was no exception, Jules had the race of his shortened career. He drove that Marussia to the limits. He pushed for 78 laps, fought through the field and passed fellow drivers on the track. They say passing is near impossible at Monaco, given the tight turns and extreme corners of a road track. With a mere $2000 worth of upgrades, Jules extracted the impossible. A ninth place finish and two constructor points. Everyone including Jules were extremely happy and excited for their current point score. Jules brought Marussia from back markers to mid field contenders with these points and held promise for the team. We now look a few races ahead to Japan. Looking forward to next years prize money and looking at a solid ninth in the championship, Marussia were building on happy times. Japan would turn into another historic race for Marussia but this time not in their favour. With torrential downpours, sideways rain, and flood like pooling the stewards had a tough decision; to either red flag the race or end the race and offer half points. With an accident involving Adrian Sutil, the safety car deployed and yellow flags being waved tragedy was lurking around the corner. No one knows for sure or why but Jules lost control of his car, nearly missing the damaged car of Sutil, slid head first into the back of a tractor trying to remove Sutil's car. I remember watching the race and yelling at the screen saying "end the race, end the race, no one has to die!". With Sutil out and having just witnessed a black and red car zip past the screen, the race was called and red flagged. They showed the car for a split second and the driver wasn't moving. I remember watching the final results and listening to the commentators mention that the accident involved Jules Bianchi of Marussia. There was little information until about 12-14 hours later when we were told that Jules was rushed to the hospital with major head trauma. Like F1, he battled long and hard. He never gave up and like many before him his dream of becoming World Champion was cut short. Jules finally decided that enough was enough and his journey ended on July 17th, 2015. Jules had a bright future with Ex Ferrari Boss saying that Jules was next in line after Kimi's contract would expire in 2016. He was suppose to make the move to Sauber in 2015, another Ferrari partnership and sponsor. Even with all the good fortune in 2014 and even without this tragic accident Marussia still fell victim of the high pressure of F1. With three races to go Marussia folded and had to forfeit the remainder of the season. Both Caterham and Marussia made it seem that F1 was not for everyone. With the 2015 season around the corner, Marussia got a boost of confidence and was purchased based on the premise of prize money and the determination of the Team. Manor purchased the team and have made extreme successes in 2015. It is said and expressed that the only reason Manor-Marussia are on track every race is because of Jules and his ninth place finish in Monaco. Jules was a young and talented driver. He enjoyed life and worked very hard at everything he did. He came from little money and had to show or better yet prove to everyone that he was the right selection. Like I mentioned earlier, not everyone took the chance on Jules. However, many people, teams and drivers now realize the type of person he was. Marussia noticed this potential and decided to bank on it. I mean he brought little in terms of money to the team, but was in the end backed by Ferrari and the Academy. Jules would have been a champion given the chance and team. His skill, determination, and will to succeed was just to strong for anything less. I am glad to have witnessed Jules race first hand on multiple occasions. I am glad to have had the opportunity to see him in person and speak about F1, even if for a few moments. Forza Jules.... Ciao Jules..... JB17.... The Tifosi Loves you! Remember, "What's behind you doesn't matter" - Enzo Ferrari
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