Former F1 driver Derek Warwick urged the FIA to avoid a "knee-jerk reaction" to the crash that left Marussia driver Jules Bianchi with severe head injuries, according to the BBC. Bianchi, 25, is "critical but stable" after his car hit a recovery vehicle at Sunday's Japanese GP. The FIA reportedly "rejected a move to introduce closed cockpits last year." Amid renewed calls, Warwick said he believed the FIA would take the "initiative" in reviewing the crash. Warwick, one of the FIA's regular race stewards, also defended Race Dir Charlie Whiting, who he said faced "split-second decisions" during races, just like the drivers. The FIA "has asked Whiting for a report on the crash." Warwick: "I don't think we need any knee-jerk reaction, like some people have called for, a safety car every time a snatch vehicle is recovering a race-car on the circuit. But maybe we need to look at other situations" (BBC, 10/8). The AFP reported Japanese Grand Prix organizers "have come under attack with former world champion Alain Prost weighing in to decry errors leading up to the crash." Prost, who was not present at the race, said that "the removal truck should never have been there." Prost: "The entry of this crane (onto the circuit) without the safety car is totally unacceptable. It's a real mistake that should not be repeated. A mistake has been made, that's obvious. Who made the mistake, I'm still not entirely sure. Was it the race director or the marshals on those bends? Someone must have made the decision to remove Sutil's car" (AFP, 10/8).
