- .Marussia driver Jules Bianchi seriously injured after crash in lap 46
- .Driver, 25, went off at the same site as Adrian Sutil's Sauber
- .Sutil's vehicle was being recovered by marshals and machinery at the time
- .Unconscious Bianchi was taken to hospital and race was stopped
- .Race under threat all week as Typhoon Phanfone approached Japan
- .Fellow driver Nico Rosberg said the situation was 'very, very serious'
A Formula 1 driver has been seriously injured after crashing into a recovery vehicle in rain-soaked conditions in the Japanese Grand Prix.
The race was cut short by nine laps as Marussia driver Jules Bianchi dramatically crashed out at the same site as Adrian Sutil's Sauber - which had aquaplaned off the track and was being recovered by marshals and machinery at the time.
Unconscious Bianchi was taken to Mie University hospital, 10 miles away, and the race was stopped on lap 46.
Bianchi’s father has since told French television that his son's condition is 'critical' and he is undergoing surgery for head injuries.
According to FIA officials, the 25-year-old Bianchi will be moved to intensive care where he will be monitored after the surgery.
Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi has been taken to hospital after crashing in wet conditions in the Japanese Grand Prix
Bianchi’s father since told French television that his son's condition is 'critical' and he is undergoing surgery for head injuries. The 23-year-old is pictured doing a lap of the rain soaked track before the rac
Bianchi is a graduate of the Ferrari academy and former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and team principal Marco Mattiacci went with him to hospital.
Officials immediately red-flagged the Suzuka Grand Prix, meaning championship leader Lewis Hamilton claimed his third win in succession and eighth of the season.
But celebrations on the podium were muted after news of Bianchi's condition broke.
'It's obviously a real anti-climax to hear that one of our fellow colleagues is seriously injured so that's really the main worry,' Mercedes' race winner Lewis Hamilton told the BBC.
'You could see some commotion and the car was really badly damaged on the right. We just hope he's OK.'
He said: 'Our first thoughts go to Jules - it overshadows everything else when one of our colleagues is injured and we are praying for him.
The race was cut short by nine laps as Marussia driver Bianchi dramatically crashed out at the same site as Adrian Sutil's Sauber - which had aquaplaned off the track
Unconscious Bianchi was taken to hospital and the race was stopped on lap 46. Race control then confirmed the race would not be resumed with light fading in Japan
The event had already been red-flagged after just two laps after the race began under safety car conditions
Medics treat a seriously injured Bianchi before he is taken to hospital. The running of the race had been under threat all week as Typhoon Phanfone approached Japan from the Pacific Ocean
'Next to this, the race result doesn't seem significant at all. Nico and I had a tough battle, we were pushing really hard.
'I had a big moment at Turn One when I was too late getting off the DRS as I was just pushing so hard but fortunately I was able to get back on track. The conditions were difficult throughout but I had more pace than Nico today and could follow him quite comfortably in the early stages.
'This is not an easy circuit for following another car or for overtaking, but he made a mistake out of the last corner and I was able to pass.
'The whole approach then needed to change to look after the tyres and make sure I stayed in the lead until the end of the race. But like I said, that's not what matters today; our thoughts are with Jules.'
The tractor was preparing to drag Sutil's Sauber, which had spun off in heavy rain on lap 46 of a dramatic and weather-interrupted race.
As the recovery was taking place, Bianchi also spun off at the same corner and crashed side-on into the tractor.
'It was more or less the same crash, just the outcome was a bit different,' Sutil told Sky television.
'The car (tractor) came out to rescue my car and then it all happened.'
The crash brought out the safety and medical cars and led to the race being red flagged and not re-started with the result declared after 44 of the 53 scheduled laps.
There were no podium celebrations and the champagne was left unsprayed, with the top three drivers merely clinking the bottles and taking a swig.
'I'm not thinking about the race, I'm thinking about my colleague,' said the Briton's second placed team mate Nico Rosberg.
'I WAS SCREAMING FOR RACE TO STOP': FELIPE MASSA REVEALS THERE WAS TOO MUCH WATER ON TRACK AHEAD OF BIANCHI'S HORROR CRASH
Felipe Massa - who sustained life-threatening head injuries while qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian grand prix - has claimed he was 'screaming' for today's race to stop as heavy rain hit the track.
Massa went to the hospital where Bianchi was taken immediately after the race, and has told ESPN that he thought the race should have been stopped earlier.
He said:'I'm very worried to hear just now that he hit the truck.
Felipe Massa - who sustained life-threatening head injuries while qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian grand prix - has claimed he was 'screaming' for today's race to stop as heavy rain hit the track
In my opinion they started the race too early because it was not driveable at the beginning and it finished too late.
'I was already screaming on the radio five laps before that there was too much water on the track but then they just took a little bit too long and it was dangerous.'
Massa was knocked out by a spring that had come off Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car during qualifying for the 2009 race in a freak accident and subsequently smashed into a tyre wall.
He was in a coma for a week and underwent an operation to repair a fractured skull.
'I've been given some information and it seems very, very serious. I'm hoping for the best.'
Bianchi of France and Marussia receives urgent medical treatment after crashing. Unconscious Bianchi was taken to hospital and the race was stopped on lap 46
Bianchi is rushed away by ambulance, which was taken to hospital under a police escort after conditions were too wet for an air ambulance to land
A distressed Adrian Sutil (centre) of Germany and Sauber F1 speaks to a Doctor whilst Bianchi receives urgent medical attention
Bianchi went off at the same site as Adrian Sutil's Sauber - which was being recovered by marshals and machinery at the time
Rosberg, who finished second in the race, said afterwards: 'Our thoughts are with my colleague Jules - we wish him all the best but it doesn't look good.'
FIA media delegate Matteo Bonciani confirmed Biachi has been rushed to hospital.
'The driver is unconscious,' Bonciani said.
'He has been sent to hospital by ambulance because the helicopter cannot go in these conditions. Further updates will follow. For the moment, we cannot say anything.'
The running of the race had been under threat all week as Typhoon Phanfone approached Japan from the Pacific Ocean and the event had already been red-flagged after just two laps after the race began under safety car conditions.
Lewis Hamilton notched up his third straight victory to move 10 points clear of title rival Rosberg.
The Brit pulled off a stunning overtake on his Mercedes team-mate on lap 29 and never looked back, pulling clear to win his eighth grand prix of the season.
The race started behind a safety car as heavy rain took its toll on the track in Japan. After a red flag on lap three and then seven more laps behind the safety car, Rosberg and Hamilton began to pull clear of the rest of the field as the racing properly commenced.
Hamilton, who started second on the grid, was on the tail of his championship rival all the way and finally completed his overtake on lap 29.
The rain continued right until the final lap in Japan with some opting to switch back to the full wet tyres in the final stages.
The safety car returned towards the end after both Adrian Sutil and Jules Bianchi crashed in the same place.
Sebastian Vettel came home in third place for Red Bull to complete the podium ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in fourth. Jenson Button, who at one stage was sitting in third place, finished fifth in Japan.
JULES BIANCHI: THE PROMISING YOUNG DRIVER FROM A RACING DYNASTY
Jules Bianchi, was born on 3 August 1989 in Nice, France, and made his Formula One debut in 2013, driving for Marussia alongside Max Chilton.
The unmarried Frenchman has previously raced in Formula Renault 3.5, the GP2 Series and Formula Three.
The 25-year-old entered Formula One as a test driver in 2011 at Ferrari, and for Force India the following season.
Bianchi is the grandson of Mauro Bianchi, three-times World Champion in the GT category.
He is also the grandnephew of Lucien Bianchi who won the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed in nineteen Grands Prix in the Formula One World Championship between 1959 and 1968, with a podium finish in Monaco
Since 2013, Bianchi has been a race driver with the Marussia F1 Team.
He has been tipped as a future prospect for Ferrari's main team, and has consistently finshed ahead of teammate Max Chilton.
He failed to finish the Grand Prix in Japan in 2013 after crashing out of the Suzuka race circuit just yards from the spot of his accident this year.
JULES BIANCHI FACTFILE
1989: August 3, born in Nice.
2007: Moves into French Formula Renault 2.0 after starting his racing career in karting - winning five races to take the championship. Also races in the Formula Renault Eurocup on three occasions.
2008: Makes the move to the Formula Three Euro Series after signing with ART Grand Prix and finishes third in the standings in maiden year. Also wins the Masters of Formula Three in Holland, where he races against fellow F1 drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo and Marussia team-mate Max Chilton.
2009: Stays with the ART team and, with team-mates including Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez, secures championship with nine wins.
2010: Steps up to GP2, competing in GP2 Asia and the GP2 Series with the ART Grand Prix team. Involved in the fight for the Asian championship before suffering a broken vertebra at a race in Hungary.
2011: Links up again with Gutierrez at ART and finishes second in the GP2 Asia Series behind Romain Grosjean. Also fills the role of test and reserve driver with Ferrari's F1 team.
2012: Loaned by Ferrari to Force India, where he again acts as reserve driver, taking part in nine practice sessions while racing in Formula Renault 3.5.
2013: Earns a race seat with the Marussia F1 team, with a 13th-placed finish in Malaysia his best result of the season.
2014: Retained by Marussia and scores both his and the team's first points in F1 when he finishes eighth in Monaco. Linked with a possible move to Ferrari but the deal to take four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull scuppers any move.
October 5 - Rushed to hospital after being left unconscious after a collision with a recovery vehicle during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
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