Jules Bianchi's family launches legal action against F1 and Marussia

Bianchi was involved in a horrific accident during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix when driving for the then-Marussia team.

He suffered a diffuse axonal injury after colliding with a recovery vehicle and after a nine-month battle, died last July.

Bianchi's father Phillipe said in a statement on behalf of the whole family: "We seek justice for Jules, and want to establish the truth about the decisions that led to our son's crash at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014.

"As a family, we have so many unanswered questions and feel that Jules' accident and death could have been avoided if a series of mistakes had not been made."

Following the accident, an FIA accident panel charged with investigating the crash produced a 396-page report.

It said that Bianchi "did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control" when he crashed while marshals were recovering Adrian Sutil's stranded Sauber in the closing stages of the wet Suzuka race.

His family does not agree that Bianchi was to blame and is seeking to clear his name and raise money to support young aspiring drivers and improve safety.

Stewarts Law partner Julian Chamberlayne, who is representing the Bianchi family, added: "Jules Bianchi's death was avoidable.

"The FIA Panel Inquiry Report into this accident made numerous recommendations to improve safety in Formula 1 but failed to identify where errors had been made which led to Jules' death.

"It was surprising and distressing to the Bianchi family that the FIA panel in its conclusions, whilst noting a number of contributing factors, blamed Jules.

"The Bianchi family are determined that this legal process should require those involved to provide answers and to take responsibility for any failings.

"This is important if current and future drivers are to have confidence that safety in the sport will be put first.

"If this had been the case in Suzuka, Jules Bianchi would most likely still be alive and competing in the sport he loved today."