Suzuka, Japan - Officials say the crash that left French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi in a critical condition with severe head injuries was down to bad luck rather than poor judgement by Japanese Grand Prix race direction.
The 25-year-old Marussia driver suffered the life-threatening injury on Sunday when he aquaplaned off a wet track and slammed into the back of a recovery tractor that had been deployed to remove Adrian Sutil's crashed Sauber.
Suzuka Circuit spokesman Masamichi Miyazaki said on Tuesday: "Officials raised 'double yellow flags' after Sutil’s crash, which meant drivers had to slow down to the speed that they can immediately stop.
“Unfortunately Bianchi's car aquaplaned right at the time and ran into the accident site, which was bad luck.
“Admittedly, rain was coming and the road was wet, but not heavy enough to halt the race, and I believe the race officials made the same judgement.”
The incident brought a premature end to Sunday's race, with race-winner Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the paddock turning their attentions to the likeable Frenchman, a graduate of Ferrari's young driver academy.
The Marussia team acknowledged a “huge outpouring of support and affection for Jules and the Team at this very difficult time” on Monday without revealing details of his condition.
HORRIFYING FOOTAGE
Meanwhile, horrifying footage has emerged showing the moment Bianchi's speeding Marussia smashed into the tractor-crane; spectator film, posted on YouTube, shows his out-of-control Marussia slamming into the back of the yellow recovery vehicle, sparks flying as the body of the car slides underneath its raised rear end.
The impact, which appears to be at around Bianchi's helmet height, shears off the air intake cover that hangs over the back of the driver's head.
In slow-motion, the video appears to show Bianchi's helmet rebounding violently off the heavy lifting vehicle, which is bounced into the air by the force of the impact.
The tractor-crane was trying to remove Adrian Sutil's stricken Sauber, which had crashed at the same spot on the circuit a lap earlier.
Former world champion Alain Prost said the vehicle should never have been there.
"Bringing the crane on to the circuit without the safety car is totally unacceptable. It's a real mistake that should not be repeated," he said,
"A mistake has been made, that's obvious. Who made the mistake, I'm still not entirely sure. Was it the race director or the marshals on those bends? Somebody must have made the decision to remove Sutil's car."
Prost said, re-watching the race, it was clear that things happened which should not have done.
"You can see a track marshal waving the green flag just behind the crane, which normally tells drivers that the track is clear.
"That should have been placed at least 100 metres further down... That's a mistake by the marshal."
FIA INVESTIGATION
Race director Charlie Whiting has been asked directly by FIA president Jean Todt to compile the report before Sunday's Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.
Former Formula One driver Martin Brundle, now a commentator in Britain, was one of many people involved in the sport who questioned the safety procedures used.
He recalled his own near miss with a crane 20 years ago and questioned the need for them to be so close to the track.
“I nearly lost my life against one of them, I just missed it and hit a marshal. I closed my eyes and I thought that was the end,” he said.
“The tractors are just too high and you are sitting down low. I've been saying this for a long time.
“You are going into the barrier if you go off there. There's no way of recovering, you are going too fast.”
Bianchi's accident was the most serious involving a driver at a Grand Prix weekend since Brazilian Felipe Massa suffered near-fatal head injuries in Hungary in 2009 after being hit on the helmet by a bouncing spring shed from a car in front.
Massa made a full recovery from that incident and was racing for Williams on Sunday.
Despite that, Formula One remains proud of its improved safety record and constantly strives to make cars safer, but acknowledges the sport will always be dangerous.
“We have done so much for safety,” said Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone. “These days, you see an accident on the track and the driver undoes his safety belt, flips off his steering wheel and jumps out unharmed.
“It's difficult for me to say what happened and it will be for an inquiry to find out exactly what did go on.”
Reuters, AFP