F1 drivers used Thursday's media sessions in Hungary to speak about and pay tribute to Jules Bianchi, who died on Friday nine months after the serious head injuries he suffered at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Romain Grosjean: "I cannot pick up a favourite memory because I've got too much with Jules. I think the first time I heard his name was back in 2003. He was a much better driver in go-karts than I was; he was a bit younger. Then he did follow up in all categories what I did and he won everywhere. I think we shared a lot with Jules. It was a very nice ceremony. It was very emotional. His parents were, I think, happy to see us. Of course, this week all our thoughts go with him but personally I will never forget that we race and we race for Jules as well."
Fernando Alonso: "Obviously we spent a lot of time together outside of the track. I take those memories of him outside of the track because on the race weekend we him as a talented driver, we all know he had a bright future. Even the Ferrari seat was maybe a strong possibility. Outside the track I spent time with him a lot, in Maranello for three years, we did some training camps together, we had some good rides on the bicycle, football matches, playing cards. I spent one week in Lanzarote at a training camp with Ferrari in 2012 and we were room-mates during that time, so a lot of time together and a very strong feeling now and a sad moment."
Jenson Button: "For me the bit that I remember from Jules was his persistence. He was never in an easy position in Formula One in terms of his equipment but he would always get the maximum out of it and I think Monaco proved that last year. I think we all know how talented he was and he was still young, he had so much more to achieve. Very sad times but we've got to celebrate the individual he was and the driver he was.
"I was there [at funeral] but I don't want to speak too much about it. For all of us, absolutely devastated. Obviously Jules was in a critical condition for so long but it's still a massive shock when you hear the news he's passed away so tough for everyone in the sport, a lot more difficult for his close family and friends and we will respect their privacy. As racing drivers when one of your competitors and friends passes away it's a very tough time, but it doesn't stop you from jumping in the car the next day - it's what we do, it's the way the sport is. I'm sure Jules would love to race flat out this weekend and give it our all for him."
Lewis Hamilton: "For me, personally, I've experienced it before, so it's been very, very similar, the whole experience. When I was nine years old, a kid died on track, and I remember it like it was yesterday, I was talking to him before the race - and he passed away actually at the track. I remember going to the funeral, and that experience, so it was very much deja vu for me. It's something that we never want to see in the sport. It's really difficult just to grasp the sheer magnitude I guess of it really. It's painful to see people unhappy.
"When you go to a funeral naturally you see all his close friends and family... I couldn't say I was a close friend of Jules, I didn't really know him that well. It feels awkward to talk about, because we are here today, we are healthy, and a great, gifted, young, talented individual is not here today."
Valtteri Bottas: "It was not an easy day on Tuesday, to let go. He was just a nice guy everyone liked, so it's not been easy. And being his teammate before in Formula 3 I knew him pretty well. But life goes on, and now we're here to race again. For sure for me the best place to be is in the car with the helmet on, because then I have less other thoughts than driving. You don't think anything else other than driving, so I'm looking forward to it."
Felipe Massa: "He was a great friend. [When] I met him he was still racing in go-karts, because we have the same manager. [When] Nicolas [Todt] started to work with Jules he was still at the end of his go-kart career and I met him in that time. For me he was a fantastic boy, very nice, very humble and an amazing driver. Unfortunately in Formula One he didn't have the opportunity to race in a competitive car; to show his talent. He showed us anyway by finishing in the points in Monaco with a car he was driving which everybody knows was like... it was an amazing thing he did in that race.
"But for me the experience I had with Jules was also that we did a lot of go-kart together, even in Brazil, and in my experience he was the best go-kart driver I saw. It was amazing the way he was driving go-karts. It was maybe the opportunity we had to race together in a similar kart. It's not nice to see has happened. It was so difficult to be there in the church, to understand what's happened, it was so sad. But I'm sure he is in a good place, racing, enjoying and definitely looking here to all of us, from whatever place he is, I don't know, but I think he was an amazing boy and a fantastic driver that I really hope the best for his family as well. It was a very difficult day to be there [at the funeral]."
Roberto Merhi: He was always the driver - the reference. He was all the time the quickest and doing really great things. Obviously, when I jumped into Formula Renault in 2007 we did a few races together because he also jumped in 2007 to Formula Renault and again he won straight away; his first year in the championship. It was pretty incredible, no? For me he was the biggest talent I saw in motorsport.
Sergio Perez: "When I really spent more time with him was in the Ferrari Academy, when we were both doing the Ferrari Academy. You could see Jules was a very special driver but also a very special person that everyone seemed to like. He was just very humble and very human as well and he really left a big impact on the world. I think we all share the same opinion. I think Jules was a very special driver that didn't have the opportunity to show what he could do in Formula One in his short period. It was just enough to realise that he was a potential champion for the future. He was just a very, very special driver."
Nico Hulkenberg: "He's been my team-mate twice, in 2008 in Formula 3 and 2012 in Formula One [as Force India test driver]. I remember in 2008, I was in my second in Formula 3, supposed to win the championship and he came in as a rookie, his first year. I remember a race in Mugello, I was starting from pole and he was starting second or third. Anyway, we take off, I'm leading, he's second and I'm seeing him in my mirrors, pushing really hard, really chasing me down, trying to get me. He was burning his tyres at the time, I was saving them, but it just showed how competitive he was and he was so hungry for success. Even outside the track he was a great guy, a lot fun, a lot of great moments together and we'll all miss him."
