FIA asks teams for Bianchi crash information
F1's governing body has formed an 'accident panel' in the wake of Jules Bianchi's life threatening crash.
The news, confirmed in a letter from the FIA to "all F1 teams" this week, follows Marussia angrily hitting back at media reports the team and its French driver were to blame for Bianchi's crash into a recovery vehicle at Suzuka 11 days ago.
The FIA letter asked teams to forward to the Paris federation "any information which you may have regarding the circumstances of this accident, and to keep all documents, testimonies and any pertinent information which may be of interest to the accident panel".
The publication that revealed the disputed and highly controversial information about Bianchi's crash was Germany's Sport Bild, claiming Marussia told the now critically ill Frenchman to speed up to keep Caterham's Marcus Ericsson behind him in the moments before the crash.
Marussia also strenuously denied claims Bianchi did not slow down for the yellow flags.
But in the wake of the team's angry denials, Sport Bild has published even more new information.
It claims Bianchi went through the high-speed Dunlop corner at 217kph on the lap before he crashed. Next time around, he was reportedly recorded at 212kph.
The information is reportedly based on an official FIA document.
When asked about the document's existence, FIA spokesman Matteo Bonciani told Germany's Sport1 that "all relevant information about Jules Bianchi's accident was reported by race director Charlie Whiting at Suzuka."
He also would not confirm the existence of the radio messages from Marussia to Bianchi, as originally alleged by Sport Bild.
"This (not commenting on speculation) is a principle of the FIA - especially in the case of Bianchi," Bonciani insisted.
Share Or Save This Story
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Pirelli chief calls for radical F1 overhaul
Winners and losers from the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington
Marcus Ericsson finally claims his first IndyCar pole at inaugural Arlington GP
Andretti boss: “I don’t think anything’s a given” on Marcus Ericsson’s future
Breaking down the term "artificial overtake" – and comparisons with F1's previous turbo era
Ollie Bearman’s Ferrari F1 hopes boosted by Karun Chandhok's verdict on Haas progress
Complete IndyCar championship standings after Long Beach 2026
"This kid is on fire" - Michael Jordan praises Reddick after NASCAR Kansas win
Why this quintessential late-1970s F1 car stands out in the history of the Tyrrell team
The political shift that will determine F1's next engine formula
Is it now or never for Russell in hunt for F1 title?
The top 11 lost F1 victories after the flag
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments