Marussia F1 Team Driver Jules Bianchi Out Of Surgery But Still In Critical Condition After Crash In Japanese GP

Marussia Formula One Team driver Jules Bianchi is reportedly out of surgery but still remains in critical condition after a massive crash last Sunday that left him with severe brain injurries. The Japanese Grand Prix of the FIA Formula One World Championship was held over the weekend amid heavy rainfall due to an incoming typhoon. A wet race is expected to be dangerous, but a series of accidents not only ended the race abruptly on the 45^th lap but it also caused concern that a driver fatality might occur again for the first time in two decades.

Bianchi crashed into a recovery vehicle and sustained severe head injuries, which left him unconscious. Another driver, Adrian Sutil of the Sauber team, aquaplaned off the track on turn 8 on the 43^rd lap. A lap later, as a recovery tractor was in the process of extracting Sutil's car from the tyre wall, Bianchi went off on almost exactly the same spot and ended up hitting the recovery vehicle. The incident was not caught on camera during the race. Sky Sports, one of the official broadcasters of the Formula One races, has been reporting updates throughout the race and well after the incident.

OUT: Bianchi is also out of the #JapaneseGP. Ambulance on the track at Suzuka. Hub: http://t.co/flZSXMY8VX #SkyF1

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 5, 2014

The safety car and a medical vehicle were immediately deployed. There was some confusion about what had happened since Sutil had been seen getting off his car after his crash. The need for the medical vehicle only became apparent a few moments later when parts of Bianchi's Marussia were finally focused on screen. It soon became clear that things were more serious than just a normal racing incident when the race was red flagged on the 44^th lap with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton being declared the winner. All the attention was on the medical vehicle, however, as information became difficult to come by.

#JapaneseGP result: 1.Hamilton, 2. Rosberg, 3.Vettel, 4.Ricciardo, 5.Button, 6.Bottas, 7.Massa, 8.Hulkenberg, 9.Vergne, 10.Perez. #SkyF1 — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 5, 2014

Reporters on the Formula One International broadcast then reported that the Marussia team were unable to get a response from Bianchi on the radio when they tried to contact him after his crash. His team members and manager were also having difficulty in entering the track's medical facility.

Lewis Hamilton, his teammate Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel who ended up on the top three podium positions agreed to have a subdued celebration without the customary champagne spray. The drivers just quietly raised their bottles to a toast instead before taking sips from their champagne bottles.

We'll bring news on the condition of Bianchi as soon as we get it on #SkyF1. Understandably low-key on the podium.

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 5, 2014

Before the television coverage of the race ended, it was announced that Bianchi had been transferred to a nearby hospital. He was transported in an ambulance and not by helicopter due to the severe weather conditions. He was unconscious when he was extracted from his racing car and had not regained consciousness by the time he was transported to the hospital.

UPDATE: Bianchi is unconscious and is being transferred to hospital by ambulance. The medical helicopter unable to fly. More on #SkyF1. — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 5, 2014

It was several hours later before an official announcement was made by the FIA that Bianchi had undergone surgery for the severe head injuries that he sustained. He was reportedly transferred to the Intensive Care Unit post surgery and is now in a stable codition but still remains critical.

Update: Contrary to reports elsewhere, @SkySportsNewsHQ understands that Jules is not breathing unaided http://t.co/vBMDdr0rJd

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 6, 2014

Update: Jules Bianchi remains critical after surgery on 'severe' head injuries http://t.co/vBMDdr0rJd — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 6, 2014

The race started under the safety car conditions due to concerns about the suitability of the track. After two laps, the race was red flagged and the cars were made to line up on the pit lane as race officials waited for the rain to let up and for the track to dry. The Suzuka Circuit was drenched for qualifying on Saturday and the rain didn't let up for race day.

The race resumed about twenty minutes later still under the safety car conditions but the cars were released to race after eight laps. The race went on and was fairly uneventful apart from Fernando Alonso's Ferrari losing power shortly after the cars were allowed to go on racing speed. The race came to an abrupt stop following Sutil and Bianchi's back-to-back incidents.