A Monaco-based team has finished 11th out of 35 competitors in the Jules Bianchi Karting Marathon at Circuit Paul Ricard, completing more than 42 hours of continuous racing to raise funds for patients and families affected by serious brain injuries. The team also secured second place among amateur competitors.
The 11th edition of the Jules Bianchi Karting Marathon brought together motorsport enthusiasts, professional drivers and volunteers for an endurance challenge lasting exactly 42 hours, 19 minutes and 50 seconds — a reference to the traditional marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres.
Among the competitors was MyCROWN – YellowKorner Monte Carlo, whose drivers and support crew worked in shifts throughout the event to finish 11th overall, ahead of 24 other teams.
The event, held at Circuit Paul Ricard’s karting track, was established in memory of French racing driver Jules Bianchi, who died in July 2015 from injuries sustained during the Japanese Grand Prix the previous year.
This year’s participants included racing drivers Doriane Pin, Norman Nato and Tom Bianchi, as well as former tennis champion Henri Lecomte.
Racing in memory of Jules Bianchi
The marathon supports the Jules Bianchi Association, established in 2015 to help people living with severe brain injuries and their families.
The organisation funds medical research, contributes towards specialist equipment and supports families dealing with the consequences of serious neurological injuries.
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Nice’s L’Archet Hospital and initiatives supporting patients and their relatives.
The hospital has a particular connection to the Bianchi family, having cared for Jules during the final months of his life.
Monaco businesses unite for a third year
The MyCROWN – YellowKorner Monte Carlo team was supported by MyCrown Collection, founded by Sophia Vaharis Tsouvelekakis, and YellowKorner Monte Carlo, operated by Leonidas Kambanis.
The two businesses have partnered for three consecutive years to support the Jules Bianchi Association through the karting marathon.
Managed by Benjamin Laurens and Sophia Tsouvelekakis, the team brought together approximately 20 volunteers, including drivers and personnel responsible for logistics, coordination and race support.
Seventeen drivers represented the Monaco team, including Leonidas Kambanis, Sébastien Chardonnet, Enzo Dubois, Teddy Thompson and Spyros Tsouvelekakis.
Their combined efforts secured second place in the non-professional category, alongside their 11th-place finish in the overall standings.
For the Monaco participants, the event was an opportunity to combine a demanding motorsport challenge with fundraising for a cause closely connected to the region’s racing community.
More than a decade after Bianchi’s death, the annual marathon continues to bring competitors together in his memory while providing practical support to patients and families facing serious brain injuries.
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Photo source: MyCROWN – YellowKorner