French Formula One driver dies after prolonged coma

French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi has died as a result of severe head injuries sustained after an accident last year at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Bianchi, 25, passed away on Saturday at a hospital in Nice, near his parents’ home in the south of France.

In a statement, his family said: “Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end … The pain we feel is immense and indescribable.”

Bianchi had been in a coma since the accident at Suzuka last October.

In wet conditions and fading light, his Marussia slammed into a recovery tractor trying to remove another crashed vehicle.

The race was stopped and he was then extracted from the vehicle unconscious and taken to a nearby hospital.

Bianchi, who was also contracted to Ferrari, was the first driver since Brazilian triple world champion Ayrton Senna died following a crash in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.