FIA race director Charlie Whiting believes “nothing could have been done better” with regard to the procedures in place surrounding Jules Bianchi’s accident that has put his life on the line.
Whiting has suggested “a perfect storm” of circumstances conspired against Bianchi during last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix and resulted in his horrific impact into a recovery vehicle.
Despite that, the FIA is not resting on any laurels because as with any serious accident, lessons are to be learned, which will result in new safety measures being brought into place.
Chief among them will probably be a speed limit electronically imposed on all cars at a time when there is a double-waved yellow flag scenario as occurred at Suzuka.
In such circumstances, drivers are meant to considerably lift off the throttle, however, the FIA has discovered the variances in the loss of speed between the drivers is considerable.
Whiting has confirmed Bianchi did scrub off some speed – although he refused to say how much – before hitting a wet part of the track.
Although the 25-year-old Frenchman caught the car before it spun, in doing so his Marussia veered off the circuit at high velocity and into a collision course with the recovery vehicle.
During a media briefing at the Sochi Autodrom, which hosts its inaugural Grand Prix today, Whiting confirmed all safety signals were in place, with no marshal to blame.
Whiting also remarked that despite suggesting an earlier race-start time to organisers given the weather conditions and the approaching intensity of typhoon Phanphone, their decision to decline played no part in Bianchi’s accident.
Similarly, it has been confirmed that although the medical helicopter was unable to land at the Mie General Medical Centre in Yokkaichi, and Bianchi had to be transferred by ambulance, the additional time in travelling by road did not exacerbate his condition.
“An accident on the track is extremely well covered,” said Whiting.
“On this occasion, the way in which the marshals reacted, the fact the safety and medical cars arrived at the scene in very quick time, that the extraction vehicle and ambulance were despatched correctly, nothing could have been done better.
“We have procedures in place, we deal with things and we know exactly what to do under the circumstances.”