During the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, Jules Bianchi, the 25 year old Marussia driver from Nice, France, was critically injured in a crash on the 43th lap on the Suzuka Circuit. The race was subsequently red flagged and declared over at 44 laps with Mercedes driver Lee Hamilton placing in first.
Weather conditions had wrecked havoc, as the race was red flagged after two laps because of the rain. When racing resumed twenty minutes later, it was under a safety care for eight laps before conditions were suitable for regular racing.
The chronology of fateful events had driver Adrian Sutil following Bianchi on the 43rd lap. Sutil started to aquaplane and spun out into the tire barrier on turn eight as the rain intensified. As recovery vehicles were in process of removing Sutil's vehicle from the track, Bianchi's car struck a tractor and careened into a barrier.
Bianchi was unconscious when he was removed from the wreckage. He was suffering from severe head injuries and then underwent an operation to reduce swelling on the brain. This was the first serious crash on the F1 circuit since Felipe Massa's crash at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Those closely associated with Formula One racing expressed profuse concern over Jules Bianchi's condition. Many noted how the race results were secondary to how their racing comrade was doing. This humane attitude was a marked contrast to New York Giant co-owners Steve Tisch's crass comments about the chances of ebola effecting the Dallas Cowboys.
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