Marussia have moved to dispel reports suggesting Jules Bianchi sped up under yellow flags at the order of the team to ensure he remained ahead of Caterham’s Marcus Ericsson.
Some media outlets have run stories which suggest Bianchi didn’t slow at all – and may have gone even quicker – when he approached the incident at Turn 7.
The team called the isolated media reports “distressing”, but said it had a duty to Bianchi to respond and make clear what actually happened.
“These allegations are entirely false,” read a statement.
“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.
“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.”
The team also made clear that it never asked him to speed up in order to keep Ericsson behind, or to open up a larger gap to the Caterham.
“It is quite clear from the [radio] 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,” it added.
“[The team 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.
“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.”
