French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi did not slow sufficiently under warning flags before crashing at the Japanese Grand Prix, an International Automobile Federation (FIA) report found on Wednesday.
“Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as (Adrian) Sutil,” the report, released on the FIA’s website said.
Bianchi suffered the most serious F1 race injury since the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 when he crashed into a recovery tractor in a wet Japanese Grand Prix on October 5th.
The Marussia driver, whose British-based team is no longer in business, remains unconscious and in a critical condition in hospital in southern France after being flown home last month.
“The car hit the crane at 126 kph”, and that medical services were not at fault,” the report added.
Expediency
“All rescue and medical procedures were followed, and their expediency are considered to have contributed significantly to the saving of Bianchi’s life,” the 396-page report said.
In October, Marussia said they were ‘shocked and angered’ by media reports suggesting that Bianchi had not slowed down enough under caution flags.
“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,” the report added.
Fury
“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 along the barrier.”
While no longer in an artificial coma and now breathing unaided, Bianchi does remain unconscious in hospital in Nice.
