French driver hospitalised after serious crash at wet Japan Grand Prix

French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi, 25, has been taken to hospital and is unconscious following a crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. The race was red-flagged on the 44th lap after the Marussia driver went off at Turn 7, where Sauber’s Adrian Sutil had crashed a lap earlier. Bianchi’s car hit a recovery vehicle that was retrieving Sutil’s smashed Sauber. Sutil witnessed Bianchi’s crash at close quarters after sliding out at the same bend.

I aquaplaned. The rain got more and more. One lap later with waved yellow flags, Jules came around and had the same spin there and that was it. It was the same crash but the outcome was different.

Adrian Sutil, Sauber driver

The Marussia driver’s father told France 3 he was in a “serious” condition at hospital near the Suzuka circuit. Unconfirmed reports from Italian sources Autosprint and Sportmediaset claim Bianchi is in a coma but able to breathe unaided. Lewis Hamilton won the race, but his victory in a rain-soaked Suzuka - which had begun behind a safety car, and had initially been red-flagged after two laps due to poor visibility - was overshadowed by concern for Bianchi.

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