F1 Madness

Tag: jules bianchi

  • Jules Bianchi Update: Condition ‘more terrible than if he had died,’ says his father

    Jules Bianchi Update: Condition ‘more terrible than if he had died,’ says his father

    Jules Bianchi’s father, Philippe, has admitted that he is becoming a lot less optimistic about the chances of his son recovering from the injuries suffered during a horrific crash at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.

    Jules Bianchi remains in a coma at a hospital in Nice, nine months after his horrific collision with a recovery vehicle at the grand prix at Suzuka and his father describes the situation as one that his putting the Bianchi family through “daily torture”.

    Bianchi suffered severe brain injuries in the crash and his family have remained hopeful, remaining at his bedside, but his father wass a lot less optimistic in an interview with France Info, a local radio station.

    “It’s unbearable, it’s a daily torture,” Philippe Bianchi told the radio station. “We sometimes feel like we’re going crazy, because for me, it certainly is more terrible than if he had died. For we’re not able to help him more than we can.

    Jules Bianchi“Time goes by and I am now less optimistic than I may have been two or three months after the crash, when we could hope for a better evolution. At some point, you need to be well-grounded and realise how serious the situation is.”

    Bianchi, who was driving for Marussia and was part of Ferrari’s young driver programme, has not made any significant progress in his recovery. His father went on to say that waking up from the coma would lead to further complications as he struggles with a conversation he had with Jules following Michael Schumacher’s skiing accident in December 2013.

    “If he finds himself with huge disabilities, we’re pretty sure it’s not at all what Jules would want. We had talked about it. He told us that if he were to have an accident similar to Michael Schumacher’s, if he were even just not to be able to drive anymore, it would be very hard for him to accept it. Because it was his life.”

    We all continue to hope for a full recover for Jules and our thoughts remain with the Bianchi family throughout their struggle.

    #ForzaJules

  • Jules Bianchi update

    Jules Bianchi update

    Philippe Bianchi, father of Jules Bianchi, has provided an update on Jules’ current medical situation, as well as voiced his anger around the FIA investigation which blames his son for the horror crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

    The 25-year old Bianchi remains in a coma in Nice more than six months after that terrible day at Suzuka. His father agreed to an interview with a local Nice newspaper “out of respect for all the people who continue to send Jules their beautiful wishes, encouragement and affection every day”.

    He did however admit that there is very little to report about Jules’ progress medically.

    “The only thing we can say is that he fights with force and with the same strength that he has always fought with, before and after the accident,” Bianchi told the local Nice-Matin newspaper.

    “Every day, Jules does a marathon. From a medical point of view, his condition is stable. He is fairly autonomous — no physical problems.

    “All of his organs are working without assistance. But for now, he remains unconscious.”

    When asked whether neurosurgeons are seeing any improvement in Bianchi’s brain state, he admitted that this is something that will take a very long time, “For this kind of trauma, we know the evolution is very slow,” he said.

    Jules Bianchi“But compared to what the Japanese professor who operated on him told us, it is already night and day. There, when we arrived to see Jules, there was no hope. There was talk of irreversible damage.

    “It was said he could not be transferred before one year, but it was done after seven weeks, as Jules quickly began to breathe again on his own.

    “Now, the doctors tell us there is no specific intervention they can do. Most important is to stimulate Jules so that he feels a constant presence at his side.

    “So we take turns every day — his mother, his sister, his brother and me. He also has his German girlfriend, Gina, who lives here now,” Philippe told Nice-Matin.

    “From time to time, at his bedside, we see that things are happening. Sometimes he is more active, he moves more, squeezes our hand, but is it mere reflex or is it real?

    “Hard to know,” Mr Bianchi said.

    He said it continues to be a terrible time within the Bianchi family, a “daily torture”.

    “Our universe collapsed on 5 October 2014. The questions that no one can answer now: will he make it? If so, will he be disabled or can he live normally? I think that in this type of accident, it hits harder than a death. The suffering is relentless. A daily torture,” Bianchi explained.

    “To those people who think of him, I want to thank each one and tell them that we will give news when there is any, good or bad.”

    When asked about the FIA investigation which placed blame on Jules Bianchi for the horror crash, Philippe was furious.

    “It was an internal investigation,” he abruptly replied. “Only those who were involved were engaged.

    “Regarding this, I have nothing new to say,” Mr Bianchi continued. “Very good people are involved now to defend the interests of Jules.

    “If someone is responsible some day, he will have to pay. Frankly, I’m too upset to talk about it. I prefer to focus my energy on Jules now”.

    Our thoughts remain with Jules Bianchi, his father Phillipe and his family, friends and fellow race drivers. Keep fighting, young man! #ForzaJules

  • Virtual Safety Car Rules Finalized for 2015

    Virtual Safety Car Rules Finalized for 2015

    The FIA have finalized the procedures for the new Virtual Safety Car (VSC) system that will be used to neutralize races in 2015.

    The VSC was brought about after Jules Bianchi’s accident at the Japanese Grand Prix last year where he crashed out of the race with serious head injuries under yellow flag conditions.

    The new VSC rules have been integrated into the 2015 sporting regulations and will be used to neutralize a race or “normally be used when double waved yellow flags are needed on any section of track and competitors or officials may be in danger, but the circumstances are not such as to warrant the use of the safety car itself”.

    Under the VSC rules, drivers are not allowed to enter the pits except to change tyres, this means that stop-and-go penalties may not be served during the VSC period. Drivers will have to stick to a minimum delta time set by the FIA in each sector. To ensure drivers do not drive too slow, the rule makes provision for drivers that drive erratically and “unnecessarily slowly. If a driver is found to breach these rules, a penalty will be imposed. A penalty will also be imposed for drivers who do not stick to the delta time.

    Once the race director is satisfied and it is safe to resume racing, teams and drivers will be notified via the official lighting system. Once the notification is given, a green flag signal will be given on the FIA light panels. Drivers can continue to race from that point on.

  • Jules Bianchi FIA Crash Report

    Jules Bianchi FIA Crash Report

    A few weeks after Marussia’s Jules Bianchi crashed at the Japanese Grand Prix, the FIA appointed a panel to investigate the crash. Today, at the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Doha, the report was presented to the FIA with the findings and recommendations for improvements which are relevant to all motor sport.

    The panel was chaired by FIA Safety Commission President Peter Wright. Former Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali and former Team Principal of Mercedes, Ross Brawn were also part of the panel among others. The 396 page report was accepted by the FIA who also gave a mandate to implement the recommendations of the report.

    The complete list of findings and recommendations are listed below:

    The review of the events leading up to Bianchi’s accident indicate that a number of key issues occurred, which may have contributed to the accident, though none alone caused it:

    1. The semi-dry racing line at T 7 was abruptly narrowed by water draining onto the track and flowing downhill along it. Both Sutil, and Bianchi one lap later, lost control at this point in T 7.

    2. Sutil’s car was in the process of being recovered by mobile crane when Bianchi approached Sectors 7 and 8, which include the part of T 7 where the recovery was taking place. Sectors 7 and 8 were subject to double yellow flags.

    3. Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as Sutil.

    4. If drivers adhere to the requirements of double yellow flags, as set out in Appendix H, Art. 2.4.5.1.b, then neither competitors nor officials should be put in immediate or physical danger.

    5. The actions taken following Sutil’s accident were consistent with the regulations, and their interpretation following 384 incidents in the preceding 8 years. Without the benefit of hindsight, there is no apparent reason why the Safety Car should have been deployed either before or after Sutil’s accident.

    6. Bianchi over-controlled the oversteering car, such that he left the track earlier than Sutil, and headed towards a point “up-stream” along the barrier. Unfortunately, the mobile crane was in front of this part of the barrier, and he struck and under-ran the rear of it at high speed.

    7. During the 2 seconds Bianchi’s car was leaving the track and traversing the run-off area, he applied both throttle and brake together, using both feet. The FailSafe algorithm is designed to over-ride the throttle and cut the engine, but was inhibited by the Torque Coordinator, which controls the rear Brake-by-Wire system. Bianchi’s Marussia has a unique design of BBW, which proved to be incompatible with the FailSafe settings.

    8. The fact that the FailSafe did not disqualify the engine torque requested by the driver may have affected the impact velocity; it has not been possible to reliably quantify this. However, it may be that Bianchi was distracted by what was happening and the fact that his front wheels had locked, and been unable to steer the car such that it missed the crane.

    9. Bianchi’s helmet struck the sloping underside of the crane. The magnitude of the blow and the glancing nature of it caused massive head deceleration and angular acceleration, leading to his severe injuries.

    10. All rescue and medical procedures were followed, and their expediency are considered to have contributed significantly to the saving of Bianchi’s life.

    11. It is not feasible to mitigate the injuries Bianchi suffered by either enclosing the driver’s cockpit, or fitting skirts to the crane. Neither approach is practical due to the very large forces involved in the accident between a 700kg car striking a 6500kg crane at a speed of 126kph. There is simply insufficient impact structure on a F1 car to absorb the energy of such an impact without either destroying the driver’s survival cell, or generating non-survivable decelerations.

    It is considered fundamentally wrong to try and make an impact between a racing car and a large and heavy vehicle survivable. It is imperative to prevent a car ever hitting the crane and/or the marshals working near it.
    Recommendations:

    A number of recommendations for improvements have been proposed, relevant in many cases to all of motorsport. They include the following:

    1. A new regulation for double yellow flags:

    Proposed new Appendix H Article (possibly under 2.4.5.1 b):

    The Clerk of the Course will impose a speed limit in any section of track where double yellow flags are being displayed.

    It is proposed that a Working Group, made up of FIA Race Directors and Stewards should meet and draw up detailed regulations and guidelines for the application of this new regulation, in time to apply it in 2015 across international circuit racing.

    2. Safety critical software:

    A review of safety critical software and measures to check its integrity will take place.

    3. Track drainage:

    Guidelines on circuit drainage will be reviewed, to include drainage off access roads.

    4. 4-hour Rule:

    Article 5.3 of the F1 Sporting Regulations states that:

    However, should the race be suspended (see Article 41) the length of the suspension will be added to this period up to a maximum total race time of four hours.

    It is proposed that a regulation or guideline be established such that the Start time of an event shall not be less than 4 hours before either sunset or dusk, except in the case of night races.

    It is also recommended that the F1 Calendar is reviewed in order to avoid, where possible, races taking place during local rainy seasons.

    5. Super Licence

    It is proposed that drivers acquiring a Super Licence for the first time should undertake a course to familiarise themselves with the procedures used by F1 in running and ensuring the safety of an event.

    It is also proposed that new licence holders pass a test to ensure that they are familiar with all the relevant regulations.

    6. F1 risk review

    Consideration will be given to a review of F1 risk, in order to ascertain whether there are any significant holes in the safety defences, such that an unforeseen combination of circumstances could result in a serious accident.

    7. Tyres

    It is part of the challenge of a racing driver to drive his car as fast as possible given the track conditions combined with the characteristics of his tyres. Although the characteristics of the wet weather tyres provided by Pirelli did not influence Bianchi’s accident or its outcome in any significant way, it is recommended that provision is made for the tyre supplier to develop and adequately test wet weather tyres between each F1 season, such that it is able to supply the latest developments to the first event.

  • Jules Bianchi Out of Artificial Coma But Remains Critical

    Jules Bianchi Out of Artificial Coma But Remains Critical

    The family of Marussia driver Jules Bianchi have released and update about the Frenchman’s condition.

    Bianchi has been in an artificial coma for the past 7 weeks after suffering from massive head injuries from crashing out at the Japanese Grand Prix.

    According to the statement Bianchi is out of his artificial coma, but he is still unconscious. The other bit of good news is that he is breathing on his own and that his vital signs are stable. The statement goes on to say that his condition remains critical.

    “Jules is no longer in the artificial coma in which he was placed shortly after the accident, however he is still unconscious,” read the statement.

    “He is breathing unaided and his vital signs are stable, but his condition is still classified as ‘critical’. His treatment now enters a new phase concerned with the improvement of his brain function.

    Bianchi has been moved from the Mie General Hospital in Japan to the Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice in the south of France. He was transported by plane during the night and he has reached the medical facility in France safely.

    “We are relieved, therefore, to confirm that Jules was transferred aeromedically last night from the Mie Prefectural General Medical Center in Yokkaichi, Japan, to Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice (CHU), where he arrived just a short time ago. Jules is now in the intensive care unit of Professors Raucoules and Ichai, where his care will also be monitored by Professor Paquis, Head of Neurosurgery Service.

    The family are relieved that Bianchi is closer to home now as more of his family and friends will be around him. The family went on to express their gratitude for the doctors and nurses at the Mie General Hospital.

    “We are thankful that the next phase of Jules’ treatment can continue close to home, where he can be surrounded and supported by his wider family and friends. We have nothing but praise for the outstanding care provided by the Mie Prefectural General Medical Center since the accident.

    “We owe the medical staff there an enormous debt of gratitude for everything they have done for Jules, and also for our family, during what is a very difficult time for us. In particular, we would like to extend our thanks to Doctors Kamei and Yamamichi, and also to Mr Ogura, all part of the team of personnel caring for Jules in Japan.”

  • F1 2014: FIA Institutes Accident Panel

    F1 2014: FIA Institutes Accident Panel

    A few weeks after the crash that severely injured Marussia driver Jules Bianchi the FIA has instituted an accident panel.

    The panel will be tasked with investigating Bianchi’s crash at the Japanese grand prix. Their investigation is expected to culminate in the proposal of potential changes at the next World Motor Sport Council meeting slated for December. The FIA has called on several experienced former members of the of the Formula 1 paddock to form part of the panel. Former Mercedes boss Ross Brawn, former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicalli and Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi are among those included.

    The full panel line-up is as follows:

    Presidency

    Peter Wright, President of the Safety Commission

    Members

    Ross Brawn, former Team Principal of Mercedes, Brawn Grand Prix and former Technical Director of Scuderia Ferrari

    Stefano Domenicali, former Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari

    Gerd Ennser, Chief Stewards’ representative

    Emerson Fittipaldi, President of the FIA Drivers’ Commission, F1 Steward

    Eduardo de Freitas, World Endurance Championship Race Director

    Roger Peart, President of the Circuits Commission, President of the ASN of Canada, F1 Steward

    Antonio Rigozzi, Advocate, Judge at the International Court of Appeal of the FIA co-opted by the teams

    Gérard Saillant, President of the FIA Institute and President of the Medical Commission

    Alex Wurz, President of the GPDA, drivers’ representative

  • Bianchi Update: Critical But Stable

    Bianchi Update: Critical But Stable

    The family of Jules Bianchi have released an update about his condition on Tuesday afternoon and say that the situation remains challenging.

    Bianchi sustained severe head injuries after crashing out at the Japanese Grand Prix. He was taken to Mie General hospital and it was revealed a week later that he suffered a Diffuse Axonial injury.

    Together with the hospital the Bianchi family released a statement saying that he is in a critical but stable condition at the Mie General Hospital in Yokkaichi, Japan. The statement goes on to say that the family has noted the support and continue to be “comforted by the thoughts and prayers of Jules’ many fans and the motor sport community.” They also noted the “demonstrations of support and affection during the course of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.”

    The family will issue any further updates when there are any changes in Bianchi’s condition.

    The full statement from the Bianchi family is included below:

    “At the request of the family of Jules Bianchi, and in conjunction with the Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi, the Marussia F1 Team is able to provide the following information regarding Jules’ medical condition:

    The past nine days have been extremely difficult for Jules and his family. As a consequence of the accident at Suzuka, a number of medical challenges have needed to be overcome and the situation remains challenging due to the diffuse axonal traumatic brain injury Jules has sustained.

    Jules remains in a critical but stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit of Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi. The Bianchi family continue to be comforted by the thoughts and prayers of Jules’ many fans and the motor sport community. In particular, the many demonstrations of support and affection during the course of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi were of enormous comfort to Jules’ parents and the relatives and friends also present at the hospital.

    The family will provide further medical updates when appropriate.”

  • F1 2014: Details of Bianchi Crash Revealed

    F1 2014: Details of Bianchi Crash Revealed

    The FIA has revealed more details about Jules Bianchi’s crash during the Japanese grand prix.

    Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting went through CCTV footage taken a handful of minutes before the Marussia driver’s crash.

    “There is a dryish line. As the rain has intensified, a little bit of water creeps on to the drier line, and as cars go a little bit wide there, you see that Adrian got onto that and lost control,” Whiting explained.

    “He touches that slightly wetter bit of track, and he is behind Jules at this point. When he hits that slightly wetter bit of track, he loses control and spins. A lap later, with double waved yellow flags being displayed, Bianchi hits the same bit of water.”

    Whiting noted that Bianchi had tried to correct the slide and in so doing over-corrected his car and hurtled off the circuit.

    “You can see Jules doing something similar [to Sutil]. He hits the same bit of water, but there is a slight difference – he does not spin like Adrian did. He corrects and goes off at a slightly different trajectory.”

    Whiting further confirmed that mechanical failure was ruled out a possible cause for the crash and stipulated that it was not yet possible to determine the speed on impact.

  • F1 2014: FIA To Propose Yellow Flag Speed Limit

    F1 2014: FIA To Propose Yellow Flag Speed Limit

    Formula 1 teams will come together this weekend to discuss the possible implementation of a specified yellow flag speed limit.

    The FIA and race director Charlie Whiting has called for a meeting to discuss the possibility of limiting the speed of cars in the yellow flag zones. The meeting comes as a result of Jules Bianchi’s crash during the Japanese Gp in which he sustained a severe head injury.

    “There are some things to learn and we want to engage with all teams and drivers to make sure we come up with good, sound and well thought through ideas,” said Whiting.

    “One of the most important things for us to learn here is that it is probably better to take the decision to slow down away from drivers. It is better to try to put in place a system where it is much clearer to everybody how much we think cars should slow down in similar circumstances.”

    “That is what we are working on, starting tomorrow morning, with a meeting with all the teams to discuss exactly that.

    “We want a way of trying to impose a speed limit – it probably won’t be a speed limit as such, but there will be a way of controlling speed with complete certainty and complete clarity.”

    Whiting also confirmed that extreme caution would be exercised in the use of recovery vehicles.

  • Marussia Confirm They Will Run One Car for Russian Grand Prix

    Marussia Confirm They Will Run One Car for Russian Grand Prix

    The Marussia F1 team confirmed on Friday morning that they will run one car for Max Chilton at this weekends Russian Grand Prix.

    Marussia have written to the stewards to inform them that they have withdrawn their second car. They feel that running a single car is the appropriate course of action under the difficult circumstances of the weekend.

    The second car, driven by Jules Bianchi, has been built and is ready to race and the team say that it will remain on Bianchi’s side of the garage throughout the weekend in support of Jules and his family.

    “I don’t know how to put into words how truly devastated I am by what has happened to Jules,” said Marussia driver Max Chilton.

    “The support from the F1 family has been incredible & all we can do is be there to support Jules’ family at this difficult time. It is going to be a very emotional weekend for the whole Team, but we will try to get through it and keep praying for Jules.”

    Below is the full statement released by the Marussia F1 team:

    “We will run a single car for the duration of the forthcoming Grand Prix weekend in Sochi, out of respect for our driver Jules Bianchi, who remains in hospital in Yokkaichi, Japan, in a critical but stable condition.

    We have written to the Stewards of the Meeting to inform them that we have withdrawn our second car. Notwithstanding the presence in Sochi of Alexander Rossi, the nominated Official Reserve Driver for the 2014 Russian Grand Prix, the Team feels strongly that fielding a single car, that of driver number 4, Max Chilton, is the appropriate course of action under the difficult circumstances of the weekend.

    Jules’ car crew have built a second car, which has been scrutineered and is ready to race, and this will remain on his side of the garage throughout the weekend. In support of Jules and his family, the Team and its cars will carry the familiar #JB17 graphic, to ensure that although Jules is not with us in Sochi this weekend, he is, nonetheless, racing on with the Marussia F1 Team.”