Marussia set to defend Bianchi's legacy

Marussia withdrew Bianchi's car from Sunday's (Oct 12) inaugural 2014 Russian GP as a mark of respect for its critically injured driver but, with their ninth place in the championship at stake, has decisions to make.

TIME TO THINK

Sporting director Graeme Lowdon told reporters still at the Sochi circuit: "We'll come up with a plan for the next race and through to the end of the season and I'm sure the guys are up for it. We make no comment as far as drivers are concerned because we haven't had time to sit down properly and have a look at the all options."

"We've a little bit of a gap now, which seems like a luxurious one, so we'll use that time to work out what the best thing is. It's never straightforward, so we'll do whatever is right."

Bianchi suffered severe head injuries after losing control on a wet track at Suzuka eight days earlier and slid of at high speed and under a recovery tractor that was removing Adrian Sutil's Sauber which had crashed on the previous lap.

He was taken to hospital unconscious and is still "critical but stable".

There are three races remaining in 2014, with double points for the final round in Abu Dhabi (Nov 23), and Marussia needs two cars to have the best shot of preventing Sauber and Caterham overtaking it in the standings.

The next race will be the 2014 US GP in Austin, Texas on November 2, with American reserve Alexander Rossi the obvious candidate to take Bianchi's place as Max Chilton's team mate unless financial considerations come into play.

MENTAL CHALLENGE

The two points scored by Bianchi in Monaco were the struggling team's first in F1 and offer the prospect of a potentially lucrative payday at the end of the season for a team in desperate need of a boost. Even 10th place with the last roll of the dice in Abu Dhabi for one of its rivals would change everything.

Lowdon said: "When you've had a serious incident, whether somebody isn't hurt or not, it's a major challenge. It's not just an enormous challenge but it's an enormous mental challenge as well for everybody involved."

The first day back at the factory, he added, was not going to be easy. The team kept Bianchi's replacement car, assembled and ready to race, in the garage on Sunday (Oct 12) with Chilton taking the start and managing only 10 laps before he retired after reporting problems with the car's handling.

Bianchi's accident overshadowed Russia's inaugural race, with drivers carrying messages of support on their helmets and standing in a silent circle on the grid before the start.

'WE OWE IT TO HIM'

Mercedes' race=winner and championship leader Lewis Hamilton said he had been thinking about Bianchi all weekend.

Lowdon hoped the gestures had been some support for the family, which remains at Bianchi's bedside in Japan along with team principal John Booth.

Booth said: "I think the best thing we can do now for Jules and the family is to really try to protect the position in the championship. t was a really great drive from Jules (in Monaco) and that got us something really valuable in sporting terms.

"We owe it to him now to defend that."