Jules Bianchi Crash Forces F1 To Test New Safety Measures

A month has passed since Jules Bianchi crashed his car at the Japanese Grand Prix which has left him with serious head injuries. The 25-year-old Marussia F1 driver remains in a hospital at Yokkaichi in a "critical but stable" condition. With the catastrophic accident, F1 is reportedly testing new safety measures in the event that such disaster happens again.

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) immediately initiated a thorough investigation after the accident. According to a report by ABC Online, several F1 observers stated three possible reasons why the Frenchman crashed his car - he could driving very fast on a wet track, the influence of altitude changes on his cars' tires, and the guides should have stopped the race after Adrian Sutil lost control of his car, spun, and hit the tire barrier on lap 42.

FIA is now testing new safety measures. The faction has reportedly tested a virtual safety car at the US Grand Prix. When a driver crashes his car, he will be required to substantially reduce speeds approximately 35 percent than a normal dry lap time. The driver will be warned by the displays in the car, otherwise he will get penalized if he violates the speed limit. A new version of the said safety car is said to be tested at the Brazilian Grand Prix, which started on Nov. 10.

Bianchi Remains Critical But Stable

The 25-year-old Frenchman remains critical but stable, according to the statement released by Bianchi's family via Marussia's official site. The statement said that while there is no significant development on Bianchi's condition, the family feels obliged to keep the fans informed to show them their appreciation for all their messages of support and well-wishes.

"We owe it to his many fans to acknowledge the continued outpouring of messages," said in the statement. "And to provide some information, however brief it may be."

Bianchi has been undergoing treatment at the Mie General Medical Center in Japan. His doctors reportedly stay in close contact with neurosurgeons at the University of La Sapienza of Rome and Professor Gerrard Saillant, who is the president of FIA Medical Commission.