Jules Bianchi Latest Crash Update: FIA Forms Investigative Panel To Investigate Race Safety Measures
![Marussia Formula One driver Jules Bianchi](https://d.ibtimes.com.au/en/full/1356734/marussia-formula-one-driver-jules-bianchi.jpg?w=736&f=2b6f623273a54ff1bb307471887b9245)
The crash that sent Marussia Formula One Team Driver Jules Bianchi to the hospital with severe head injuries has caused a chain reaction of events. Bianchi now lies in hospital in critical but stable condition three weeks since the incident. The FIA has announced the formation of an investigative panel to look into the incident and prevent it from happening again.
The Switzerland-based governing body will be forming a panel of experts to look into the events that led up to the tragic crash as well as the safety measures that should be in place in the future. According to FIA president Jean Todt, the ten-man commission has been tasked to investigate exactly what happened that fateful day and to propose new safety measures to prevent the same from happening in the future.
Much criticism has been thrown around since the incident with the blame being pointed in many directions including towards the Marussia team who had been accused of pushing Bianchi to drive faster. In the same way, the injured driver has been in the middle of speculations that he failed to slow down under double yellow flags.
The team has since released a statement denying both allegations. Race director Charlie Whiting as well as the Suzuka Circuit administrators have also been under fire for allowing the race to proceed under severe weather conditions and for refusing to start the race earlier to avoid the brunt of the downpour. Incidentally, Whiting has been excluded from the new commission despite having massive experience on similar matters. Whiting led a revolution in Formula One safety measures following Ayrton Senna's fatal crash way back in 1994.
According to the FIA statement, the committee will be headed by Peter Wright who is also the president of the FIA Safety Commission. He will be joined by former Ferrari boss and Todt's successor Stefano Domenicali. Another former Ferrari Team member has been recruited by Todt in the form of Ross Brawn. Before becoming the Brawn and Mercedes team principal, Brawn served as Jean Todt's technical director during Michael Schumacher's glory days with Ferrari.
Other members of the panel include Drivers' Association president Alex Wurz and two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, Also on the panel are Gerard Saillant, president of the FIA institute and medical commission, Gerd Ennser chief stewards' representative; Eduardo de Freitas, World Endurance Championship race director; Roger Peart, president of the circuits commission;; and Antonio Rigozzi, a judge who sits on the International Court of Appeal. The group is expected to present their findings and recommendations on Dec. 3 at the World Motor Sport Council in Doha, Qatar.