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GRAND PRIX

France’s Bianchi out cold after Suzuka crash

Frenchman Jules Bianchi was rushed to hospital by ambulance still unconscious after crashing in treacherous conditions at Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

Published: 5 October 2014 12:25 CEST
France's Bianchi out cold after Suzuka crash
Photo: AFP

The 25-year-old's Marussia collided with a recovery vehicle after German Adrian Sutil had skidded into a wall on lap 43 at Suzuka.

"The driver is not conscious, he has been sent to the hospital by ambulance because the helicopter cannot go in these conditions," said Formula One's governing International Motoring Federation (FIA) presser officer Matteo Bonciani.

"For the moment, we cannot say anything (more)."

The safety car and medical car were sent out and the race red-flagged, giving Lewis Hamilton his eighth victory of the season, although the Briton's celebrations were muted as news of Bianchi's accident filtered through.

The race had been threatened by a typhoon and began behind the safety car due to torrential rain, with Hamilton and several drivers complaining they could not see through the spray.

Sutil witnessed Bianchi's shunt at the Dunlop corner after going out himself.

"I had a spin and ended up in the wall," he said. "I stood up and they tried to rescue the car. Jules was in the same area and lost the car. I have no more information. We are all aware of the situation. Hopefully he is in good hands."

German Nico Rosberg, who finished second behind Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, said: "I'm not thinking about the race — I'm thinking about my colleague. I'm hoping for the best."

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SPORT

Italian Grand Prix: Alonso accuses stewards of drinking beer instead of watching race

The stewards at Sunday's Italian Grand Prix were 'having a Heineken' instead of watching the race properly, according to a furious Fernando Alonso.

Published: 4 September 2017 08:50 CEST
Italian Grand Prix: Alonso accuses stewards of drinking beer instead of watching race
McLaren's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso. Photo: AFP

The two-time world champion accused the stewards of enjoying the beer supplied by Formula One's sponsors after an incident in which Briton Jolyon Palmer passed him, by cutting out the second chicane.

He believed the stewards misread the incident and did not react appropriately, launching into a tirade of radio messages to his McLaren-Honda team.

The incident had enabled Palmer of Renault to take 12th position in the race – which he refused to give back, as is conventional when a driver cuts out a chicane.

The stewards eventually caught up with events and gave Palmer a five-second penalty before he retired with mechanical problems. When Alonso learned of the Englishman's exit, he told his team it was 'karma'.

He said: “When we arrived at the chicane we were side-by-side… We braked late and I managed to take the chicane, but he didn't and he jumped it and stayed in front.

“Usually, that's something that's very clear in the rules – when two cars are side-by-side at the chicane and one gets to take it and one doesn't, you give back the position — but this time the FIA must have been having a Heineken.

“It was not up to F1 standards. There is not an interpretation possible there. It is black and white, but anyway, fighting for 16th and 17th, it doesn't matter.”

Alonso was also forced into retirement on the penultimate lap with gearbox problems.

Palmer said he blamed Alonso for their incident at the chicane. “I was ahead coming in, he braked super-late and forced me off the track – I'm sure it will be another talking point at the next race because Fernando is not very happy about it, but I don't care.”

The pair also clashed at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, triggering the bad blood that was prevalent in Sunday's race.

READ ALSO: The latest sports news from across Italy