Jules Bianchi, Marussia Formula One driver, succumbed to injuries suffered during rain soaked 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. This is according to reports from NBCsports.com. Bianchi, driving under the safety car conditions, slid off the circuit and straight underneath a tractor. The tractor was performing clearing operations from an accident few minutes prior. He was 25 years old.
The Frenchman’s demise comes after spending months in a coma with no visible progress. It has been 21 years since the last race related fatality in Formula One. Three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna went off course and straight into the wall at Tamburello, in the San Marino Grand Prix, back in 1994.
A spokesperson for the family released the following statement:
“It is with deep sadness that the parents of Jules Bianchi, Philippe and Christine, his brother Tom and sister Mélanie, wish to make it known that Jules passed away last night at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) in Nice, (France) where he was admitted following the accident of 5th October 2014 at Suzuka Circuit during the Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix.
“Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end,” said the Bianchi family. “The pain we feel is immense and indescribable. We wish to thank the medical staff at Nice’s CHU who looked after him with love and dedication. We also thank the staff of the General Medical Center in the Mie Prefecture (Japan) who looked after Jules immediately after the accident, as well as all the other doctors who have been involved with his care over the past months.
“Furthermore, we thank Jules’ colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times. Listening to and reading the many messages made us realize just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world.
“We would like to ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time, while we try to come to terms with the loss of Jules.”
Rest In Peace, Jules.
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