They wiped away their tears, pulled down their visors and went racing again.
Formula One's leading drivers paid a final formal tribute to their colleague Jules Bianchi during a minute's silence ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the mid-season break.
Standing in a closed circle, arms across backs and shoulders to include each man and Bianchi's family, they laid their own helmets on the ground.
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When Bianchi's father Philippe and mother Christine, his brother and sister, and his manager Nicolas Todt, arrived, the group took them in, heads bowed.
A ring of linked arms, joined in love and grief.
The helmet of Jules Bianchi, who died on July 17 from injuries sustained when he crashed into a recovery vehicle in torrential rain at last October's Japanese Grand Prix, was laid alongside them.
His racing number 17, the sport's ruling body the International Motoring Federation (FIA) said this week, was laid to rest too.
The Marussia team, for which Bianchi had scored such a valuable points finish at last year's Monaco Grand Prix, stood as a group in tribute. "We miss you Jules," their banner declared.
The silence was observed with a grim and emotional stillness before a musical note signalled a singing of the Hungarian anthem.
As tears ran, a helicopter hovered overhead and some of the drivers struggled with their emotions.
And then, they were leaning in to collect their helmets and stride away towards the starting grid.
