Suzuka, Japan - Formula One boss Jean Todt has asked for a full report into the accident that left Marussia driver Jules Bianchi in critical condition in a Japanese hospital for a second night.
FIA race director Charlie Whiting is compiling the dossier and is expected to present his findings to Todt before Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.
An FIA spokesman said the “in-depth’ investigation would ‘cross-check a number of different sources of information to be as complete and detailed as possible in order to understand exactly why the accident occurred”.
Bianchi, the 25-year-old French driver of the British-based Marussia team, remained in intensive care in Yokkaichi after emergency surgery on a severe head injury, following his high-speed crash into a recovery vehicle during the latter stages of the rain-lashed Japanese Grand Prix.
Marussia issued a statement thanking people for a “huge outpouring of support and affection for Jules and the team at this very difficult time”, but did not give an update on his condition.
An FIA spokesman confirmed later that he was “critical but stable”.
Sources at the hospital said Bianchi was breathing but only with the help of a ventilator, not on his own as was originally reported in the French media on Sunday night.
Bianchi’s condition was the overwhelming topic of conversation among Formula One’s tight-knit community as it gathered in various airport lounges on Monday. Many flights out of Japan and eventually on to Sochi, the home of Sunday’s first race in Russia, were postponed by Typhoon Phanfone.
The rain and wind was at its strongest around 6am local time on Monday, and delayed Bianchi’s family’s arrival at his bedside until the afternoon, by when the skies were blue.
Professor Gerard Saillant, president of the FIA medical commission who oversaw Michael Schumacher’s part-recovery, also flew out to Japan, along with Bianchi’s manager, Nicolas Todt, Jean Todt’s son. Bianchi’s girlfriend Camille Marchetti tweeted: “You are my champion! You are the strongest.”
The typhoon overshadowed the build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix.
FIA stewards asked Bernie Ecclestone to bring the race forward to avoid the downpours that were forecast for the scheduled start time of 3pm.
Citing the sport’s commitments to television contracts, it is understood he refused to give way. However, the FIA are responsible for safety and Todt, as the president with ultimate authority in this sphere, could have intervened had he wished.
It should be emphasised, though, that there is no direct link between the timing of the race and the accident, other than if, as Adrian Sutil of Sauber claimed, the light deteriorated too much to be safe by the time it was abandoned after Bianchi’s crash.
A subject raised by a number of F1 personnel in the airports obn Monday was why the safety car was not deployed when Sutil crashed at Turn 7, the accident that brought out the tractor into which Bianchi spun.
It’s understood Whiting will say in his report that he acted as is the norm in instances when a car is a long way off the track, against a barrier, marshals are in control, a tractor is on its way, a dry line is present on the track and yellow flags or, in this instance, double yellow flags are being waved - a safety car is not deployed.
Former FIA boss Max Mosley described the incident as “a freak accident”. He added: “I can’t see any fault attached to the people involved.”
But Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, said: “I have always said that every time there is an accident there should be a safety car. There should not be room for judgment.”
It is understood the FIA could look at several options such as imposing a speed limit for drivers under yellow, or double yellow, flags though that idea has never previously gained widespread support from the teams.
Daily Mail