Jules Bianchi remains in a critical but stable condition at the Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi following his accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, his family confirmed in a statement on Thursday (30/10/14).
The Marussia driver, suffered a diffuse axonal injury after colliding with a recovery vehicle at Suzuka, which had been deployed to recover Adrian Sutil's car from a previous incident.
Issued by the team on behalf of his family, the latest statement said Bianchi's condition remains unchanged almost a month on from the crash but that he "continues to fight".
"It will be four weeks this coming Sunday since Jules' accident and he remains in the Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi. His condition continues to be classified by the medical professionals here as critical but stable," read the statement.
"Although we have no new information to give, we recognise that there are a huge number of people all around the world who are supporting Jules and willing him on in his fight. We owe it to his many fans to acknowledge the continued outpouring of messages, and to provide some information, however brief it may be.
"Jules does indeed continue to fight. Although there have been some reports suggestive of plans for Jules' treatment, at this time his fight will continue here in Yokkaichi. We are taking things step by step.
"Once again, we would like to offer our sincere appreciation for the patience and understanding being shown towards our family at this very difficult time. We also continue to be comforted by the knowledge that Jules is receiving the best possible care at the Mie General Medical Center, with the doctors here remaining in constant contact with the neurosurgeons at the University La Sapienza of Rome, and Professor Gerard Saillant, President of the FIA Medical Commission.
"We will provide a further update when it is appropriate to do so. In the meantime, thank you to everyone who continues to keep Jules in their thoughts and prayers."
It was confirmed last week (22/10/14) that McLaren sporting director Sam Michael is to leave the team at the end of the 2014 Formula 1 season. The team said Michael was departing "on extremely good terms".
Michael actually handed in his notice in March this year as part of a long-term plan to move back to his native Australia with his family.
Michael joined McLaren at the end of 2011, having previously been technical director at Williams, and previously worked for Team Lotus and Jordan. He will attend this season's remaining Grands Prixs' with McLaren before leaving.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round twelve of Rally de Catalunya.
Last weekends was round twelve of the World Rally Championship at the Rally de Catalunya (24th-26th October) ) was won by current WRC champion Sébastien Ogier in the works Volkswagen Polo R WRC to win the rally overall and to give Sébastien Ogier the 2014 WRC title, contracts to Sébastien Ogier for winning his second WRC drivers title and becoming the fifth WRC driver to win back to back WRC drivers' championships.
Meanwhile, team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala finished second in the other works Volkswagen Polo R WRC, Latvala was 11 seconds behind Ogier at the end. Meanwhile, Mikko Hirvonen, finished in third place in the M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Hirvonen was 65 seconds behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Nasser Al-Attiyah in his own backed Ford Fiesta RRC. Nasser Al-Attiyah finished in tenth place overall, he was over 14 minutes behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Group R1, R2 and R3 cars) that was won by Mohamed Al Mutawaa in his Abu Dhabi Racing Citroën DS3 R3T. Mohamed Al Mutawaa finished in forty-seventh place overall, he was 64 minutes behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally bellow, enjoy.
End of blog for now. New post soon. Bye
Review of Round Eleven of the 2014 World Touring Car Championship season was the Race of Japan, at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan. This was the first time the race was held on the full Grand Prix layout.
In the first race, Citroën Total WTCC driver José María López took the race win in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. And the win was enough to give José María López his first WTCC drivers’ title to win the 2014 title. Contractions to José María López winning this years title.
Second was ROAL Motorsport driver Tom Chilton in his Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1, he was over eight seconds behind López in the end. While third place was Citroën Total WTCC driver Sébastien Loeb in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, he was nine seconds behind López in the end.
Meanwhile in TC2 class (the old s2000 cars such as BMW 320 TC, SEAT León WTCC and so forth), was won by Liqui Moly Team Engstler driver Franz Engstler in his BMW 320 TC. He finished in fifteenth place overall and 76 seconds behind López in the end. And that race win in class was enough to give Franz Engstler the Yokohama Drivers' Trophy for this season.
While in the second race, Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver Gabriele Tarquini took the race win in his Honda Civic WTCC. Second was NIS Petrol by Campos Racing driver Dušan Borković in his Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1, he was two seconds behind Tarquini in the end. While third place was Zengõ Motorsport driver Norbert Michelisz in his Honda Civic WTCC, he was four seconds behind Tarquini in the end.
Meanwhile in TC2 class, was won by Campos Racing driver John Filippi in his SEAT León WTCC. He finished in fourteenth place overall and was 76 seconds behind Tarquini in the end.
Next stop Guia Race of Macau, at Guia Circuit for the final round of the 2014 World Touring Car Championship season in three weeks time.
End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
First Caterham, and now Marussia have become the second F1 team to be placed in administration it was confirmed today (27/10/14).
Administrators FRP Advisory said the team would continue to operate but had already withdrawn from the US and Brazilian Grand Prixs' after Bernie Ecclestone gave the squad special dispensation as the same for Caterham from last week. As it means there will only be 18 cars on the grid, the smallest field since the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix.
And once again I very feel sorry for the drivers and the staff at the team at this moment of time, with a strong possibility that they may lose their jobs.
But, it had been rumours that according to the Telegraph that Baljinder Sohi and Sonny Kaushal have been in discussions with Marussia to buy the team and its debts of £30 million. But, if the team can survive in Formula 1 till the end of the season and still finished in ninth in the constructors according to prize money they will get £30 million according to the Concorde Agreement that is in Formula 1.
The main problems with Formula 1 the reason that we have two of the small teams in Formula 1 that are placed in administration are a few reasons, one reason the payout to the Concorde Agreement that makes payout to small teams less money to those teams.
Another is that the cost of the power-units this season, in 2013, the V8 engines cost between £8-10 million per season to the teams; while this seasons V6 turbo hybrid engines have doubled, now costing between £15-20 million per season that has steeped up the budgets for this season and next season too.
And final reason we are in this situation is that both teams do not stand up to the big teams and the authority within Formula 1, that is why the likes of Paul Stoddart who owned and was team principal of the Minardi team back in 2000s always stand up to the big teams and the FIA when financial and sporting problems happen he would stand up for his team time and time again. And you do have a feeling that the smaller teams of today do not stands up for themselves and they have a feeling that they're too conservative for their own good, the only team boss who did stand for his team in past few years was Colin Kolles who was the former team principal and managing director of the Hispania team.
Will we see this team at Abu Dhabi in four weeks time? who knows. But, let's hope Marussia and as-well as Caterham find new owners, who do have the money to compete in Formula 1 because it will be a shame we lost two of the underdog teams in F1. Because, the fans to love underdog teams; teams like Jordan and Minardi to name a few we loved in the past.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas. So predictions for the race itself, Lewis Hamilton for the win in the Mercedes, Nico Rosberg second in the other Mercedes, and Valtteri Bottas third in his Williams. Don't forget Felipe Massa, the two Ferrari drivers, or the two McLaren drivers for a podium place as-well.
End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
Review of round seventeen of the 2014 MotoGP season at Sepang International Circuit, on the outskirts of Selangor, south of Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian GP.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Repsol Honda Team rider and current double MotoGP champion Marc Márquez on his works Honda RC213V. Second place was the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi on his works Yamaha YZR-M1, he was two seconds behind Márquez at the end. While, third was the other Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo on his works Yamaha YZR-M1, he was three seconds behind Márquez at the end.
In Open class (Full control ECU system, hardware and software), Avintia Racing rider Héctor Barberá won Open class and finish ninth place overall on his open spec Ducati Desmosedici GP14, he was 51 seconds behind Márquez at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Paginas Amarillas HP 40 rider and current Moto3 Champion Maverick Viñales on the Kalex. Second was Marc VDS Racing Team rider Mika Kallio on the Kalex, he was two seconds behind Viñales at the end of the race. While, third was the other Marc VDS Racing Team rider Esteve Rabat on the Kalex, he was eight seconds behind Viñales at the end of the race.
With third place was enough to give Esteve Rabat 2014 Moto2 title, Esteve Rabat was 37 points ahead of team-mate Esteve Rabat with one race to go. Contracts to Esteve Rabat for winning the Moto2 championship.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by SaxoPrint–RTG rider Efrén Vázquez on the Honda. Second was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Jack Miller on the KTM, he was two tenths of a second behind Vázquez at the end of the race. While, third was Estrella Galicia rider Álex Rins on the Honda, he was four tenths of a second behind Vázquez at the end of the race.
End of blog for now. New post soon. Bye.
