The family of the stricken Jules Bianchi have gathered by his bedside, according to an AFP report, intensifying the already grave concerns for the condition of the Formula One driver.
His brother and sister, Tom and Melanie Bianchi, arrived in Japan late Thursday and joined their parents, Philippe and Christine, at the Mie General Medical Centre in Yokkaichi, where the driver was taken following his high-speed crash in last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Bianchi, 25, crashed his Marussia car into a recovery vehicle which was preparing to remove Adrian Sutil’s damaged Sauber.
“Jules is fighting as he always did, the same way as if he was racing. He is strong,” Bianchi’s father was quoted as saying by French newspaper Nice Matin.
Lorenz Leclerc, who is said to be Bianchi’s best friend, also joined the gathering. There have been no reports of any improvement in Bianchi, whose condition was described as “critical but stable” earlier this week following his diffuse axonal brain injury.
His team confirmed on Friday that they will compete in this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix with only one car out of respect for their driver.
