Lewis Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg in an exciting duel at the Japanese Grand Prix and extended his points tally over the only other contender to this years drivers championship by 10 points. Hamilton’s victory was overshadowed by tragedy, on lap 44 under tricky wet conditions, the Marussia driven by Jules Bianchi was caught out by the weather, spun off the circuit and into a tractor that was attending to the recovery of Adrian Sutil’s Sauber after he had aquaplaned into the tyre barriers the previous lap. Like Sutil the lap before him, Bianchi aquaplaned and slid, at some speed, in exactly the same place on track and into the same position where Sutil’s Sauber came to rest. The Marussia collided side on into the tractor and Bianchi suffered serious head injuries as a result of the impact. Unconscious, he was extracted from his car and immediately airlifted to hospital. The severity of Bianchi’s head injury meant surgeon’s in Japan decided to operate on the Frenchman to save his life. The Marussia team later released a statement. “Marussia would like to acknowledge the huge outpouring of affection and support for Jules. Further medical updates will be communicated in conjunction with the Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi, where Jules is being treated, when they feel it is appropriate. “Representatives of the Marussia F1 Team and Ferrari will remain at the hospital to support Jules and the Bianchi family.” Race conditions were wet at the time of Bianchi’s crash, the remnants of a nearby typhoon had swept into the region. Typhoon Phanfone struck Tokyo, around 250 miles west of the race circuit, where it is reported to have caused one death, its tailwind was felt in Suzuka. During the race Felipe Massa was “screaming” his concerns over the radio calling for the race to be stopped or run under safety car conditions. “I was already screaming on the radio five laps before the safety car that there was too much water on the track.” said Massa after the race. Massa suffered a fractured skull at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix when a spring fell off a car he was following and struck his crash helmet at some speed. The 2014 Japanese Grand Prix started under safety car conditions as typhoon Phanfone lashed some of its anger towards Suzuka. Open wheel motor racing is inherently dangerous, that much is known, the last fatality in Formula One was Ayrton Senna in 1994, he was one of the sports greatest and most revered driver’s. Jules Bianchi is part of Ferrari’s Formula One driver program, the Frenchman scored Marussia’s first ever points at this years Monaco Grand Prix. The F1 points system awards team’s with prize money, much needed if you are running at the back of the F1 grid. However death is no stranger in the sport, although fatalities are rare compared to decades ago, mercy is privileged to no one person.