After Race 15: Japan

First things first, quite clearly this is no week to do the F1 Power Rankings. As I write this, Jules Bianchi is fighting for his life following his horrific accident in the Japanese Grand Prix. The affable 25-year-old Nice native aquaplaned off at the Dunlop curve into the JCB that was recovering Adrian Sutil’s Sauber, which had spun off into the tyre barriers on the previous lap. 

#ForzaJules

I posted the following thoughts on Twitter on Sunday evening:

I sincerely hope the FIA reassess their stance on start times in Asian races simply to suit European audiences. Malaysia 09, Korea 10 and then today: three races that started unnecessarily late and tempted fate with both weather conditions and daylight hours. F1 fans *will wake up* in the middle of the night to watch races.

You can always delay a race start but – as with today – it can be awkward to bring it forward (and unfair on attending spectators). Today was truly a freak accident, but it is a devastating reminder of how the FIA must not get complacent with driver safety versus commercial gain. We are also very lucky that none of the heroic volunteer marshals were injured.

#ForzaJules #KeepFightingMichael

The Rising Ferrari star with the maestro himself. #ForzaJules #KeepFightingMichael

Suzuka 2014 will go down as one of the most surreal weekends in the sport’s history following the dramatic bombshell on Saturday morning that Sebastian Vettel will leave Red Bull Racing at the end of this season (almost certainly for Ferrari, although that is yet to be confirmed). Daniil Kvyat has been promoted to the senior team, with Jean-Éric Vergne again overlooked – and very angry about it. Carlos Sainz, Jr. will likely fill the second seat at Toro Rosso, forming a partnership with Max Verstappen that will have a combined age of 37. Vettel’s departure was one of those F1 stories that transcended normal sports news… unfortunately, the same would happen just one day later for all the wrong reasons.

There would have been plenty more to discuss in this week’s F1 Power Rankings like, “Where will Alonso go? McLaren? Sabbatical?” and “What might happen to Jenson Button?” But all of that is irrelevant right now. In both my season preview and my two articles about the Formula 1 calendar last season, I had mentioned that it seemed highly illogical staging Japan and Russia as a double-header, especially as it’s the latter’s first race. Throw in a typhoon that cancelled almost all flights out of the region, as well as Bianchi’s accident, and this weekend promises to be one of the most stressful and sombre in recent memory.

This accident has visibly shaken the F1 community, from the drivers to the fans and everyone in between. The outpouring of affection on social media has been remarkable. This weekend will be particularly difficult for Bianchi’s Marussia team. The Sochi race is the team’s home event and it also marks the first anniversary of María de Villota’s passing. 

Fernando Alonso's touching tribute to Jules
Source: Fernando Alonso (Twitter)

Pictures and videos of Sunday's incident are floating about on cyberspace but I will not be sharing them. One more thing to add is my disgust at the FIA and Japanese race organisers for playing the Carmen Overture during the podium ceremony (the champagne music).

Let’s be positive, though: Jules is the only man to have scored points for one of the ‘2010-generation’ teams, so if he can do that, he can do anything! C’mon JB, pull through, we’re all with you!

Source: Marussia F1 Team (Facebook)

All views expressed in this blog are my own and no copyright infringement is intended.

*Please note: I do not have a source for the first two pictures in this article. If the photos are yours, kindly contact me and I will be happy to give you credit.