The F1 car number previously driven by the late Jules Bianchi has been retired from future Formula One championships.

The Frenchman died in hospital on Friday, nine months after an accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to be killed as a result of a crash at an F1 race weekend since Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola 1994.

Bianchi drove the number 17 car for Marussia and the sport's governing body, the FIA, has announced it will not be used from now on out of respect.

"As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi's number 17. As a result, this number can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship," they said in a statement.

His funeral will be held in Nice tomorrow.