Marussia driver undergoes emergency surgery after suffering severe head injury in crash at Suzuka GP; Hamilton declared winner after race is cut short due to tragedy
(Inset) Marussia driver Jules Bianchi moments before the start of the Japanese GP yesterday. Emergency medical teams attend to 25-year-old Bianchi after the Frenchman crashed during the Suzuka Grand Prix yesterday. The young driver suffered a severe head
Suzuka: French driver Jules Bianchi suffered a severe head injury and is undergoing surgery following a crash that brought a halt to Sunday-s rain-hit Japanese Grand Prix, casting a pall of gloom over the Formula One paddock.
Inset Marussia driver Jules Bianchi moments before the start of the Japanese GP yesterday. Emergency medical teams attend to 25-year-old Bianchi after the Frenchman crashed during the Suzuka Grand Prix yesterday. The young driver suffered a severe head injury. Pics/Getty Images
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Bianchi, who has been taken to the Mie General Hospital, lost control of his Marussia a lap after Sauber-s Adrian Sutil crashed at the same corner. Bianchi-s car hit the back of the recovery vehicle sent out to retrieve Sutil-s car.
"The CT scan shows that he has suffered a severe head injury and is currently undergoing surgery," the statement read out by an International Automobile Federation FIA spokesman with Marussia-s press officer alongside, said.
"Following this he will be moved to intensive care where he will be monitored."
The statement said medical teams were dispatched to the scene of the accident as soon as marshals reported Bianchi had been injured. "The driver was removed from the car, taken to the circuit medical centre and then by ambulance to Mie General Hospital."
Hamilton wins race
The crash led to the race being red flagged and called off after 46 of the 53 scheduled laps with the positions at the end of the 44th lap declared as the final result, according to the rules.
Mercedes- Lewis Hamilton atop the podium after winning the Japanese GP yesterday
That gave Lewis Hamilton the win ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg allowing him to extend his championship lead over the German to 10 points with four races to go.
Sebastian Vettel, who is leaving Red Bull for Ferrari at the end of the season, finished third. However, there were no celebrations. The podium ceremony was muted and the paddock was plunged into a sombre mood.
Bianchi is currently in his second F1 season. The Frenchman is part of Ferrari-s young driver academy and is seen as a rising star. He scored Marussia-s first points ever at the Monaco GP earlier this year and has often been linked with an eventual move to the famous Italian team.
Force India win points
Meanwhile, both Force India drivers finished among the points yesterday. While Nico Hulkenberg came home eighth earning four points, 10th-placed Sergio Perez got one point.