Jules Bianchi: Marussia 'shocked and angered' by media reports they urged Bianchi to not slow down under caution flags before his crash

Bianchi is still in a critical but stable condition following the accident at the Japanese GP

Jules Bianchi remains in a 'critical but stable' condition (Getty Images)

Marussia are "shocked and angered" by media reports suggesting that Jules Bianchi did not slow down under caution flags before his accident at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Bianchi suffered diffuse axonal injury

Bianchi remains critical but stable in a Japanese hospital following his collision with a vehicle after he crashed in wet conditions, suffering severe head injuries when he slid off the track and hit a recovery tractor that was attending to Adam Sutil's Sauber.

In a strongly-worded statement released today, Marussia also said that the allegations that they encouraged Bianchi to drive faster during the caution period are "entirely false".

The statement read: "The Marussia F1 Team is shocked and angered by these allegations. At a time when its driver is critically ill in hospital, and the team has made clear that its highest priority is consideration for Jules and his family, it is distressed to have to respond to deeply upsetting rumours and inaccuracies in respect of the circumstances of Jules’ accident.

"However, given that these allegations are entirely false, the team has no alternative but to address these.

"Jules did slow down under the double waved yellow flags. That is an irrefutable fact, as proven by the telemetry data, which the team has provided to the FIA.

"In the FIA press conference which took place in Sochi on Friday 10 October, Charlie Whiting, the FIA’s Race Director, confirmed that the team had provided such data, that he himself had examined this data and that Jules did slow.

"Regarding point 2, an audio copy of the full radio transmission between Jules and the team, and also a written transcript thereof, were provided to the FIA.

"It is quite clear from the transmission and the transcript that at no point during the period leading up to Jules’ accident did the team urge Jules to drive faster or make any comments suggesting that he should do so.

"The team sincerely hopes that, having clarified these facts, it can now avoid any further distractions to its primary focus at this time, which is providing support for Jules and his family."

Yesterday Marussia released a statement saying that the 25-year-old remains in a "critical but stable" condition.

Speaking for the first time since the crash, Bianchi's father Philippe added: "His doctors have told us this is already a miracle, no one has ever survived such a serious accident. But Jules won’t give up."