Tributes pour in for F1 driver Jules Bianchi

Lewis Hamilton has called the death of Jules Bianchi a "sad, sad day" as he paid tribute to the French Formula One driver.

The hashtag #RIPJules is trending as tributes continue to pour in for Formula One driver Jules Bianchi who has died aged 25.

Eddie Jordan, the Formula 1 analyst and founder of Jordan Grand Prix, has described Jules Bianchi as an "untold talent".

In a phone interview with ITV News he said that Bianchi, who had been part of the Ferrari young drivers programme, was "a potential world champion in the making".

He said the young driver's most impressive moment came in the Monaco Grand Prix in May last year when Bianchi took eight place for his team Marussia, now known as Manor.

Although Binachi eventually finished ninth due to a penalty, he had won the first championship points for the team.

Bianchi was injured in an accident at the Suzuka race track during the Japan Grand Prix in October last year.

He died early on Saturday morning at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in his home town of Nice, where he had been since his emergency treatment following the accident.

Formula 1 champion Jenson Button has paid tribute to Jules Bianchi, calling his fellow F1 driver a "real fighter".

Button's message appeared on Twitter, alongside tributes from many others to Bianchi who died nine months after sustaining severe head injuries at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Formula 1 has expressed its condolences to the family of Jules Bianchi, the French F1 driver who has died nine months after sustaining severe head injuries at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The message was sent from the official F1 Twitter account.

Jules Bianchi's Formula 1 motoring team have said they are "devastated" at the loss of their team mate.

A statement from the team described Binachi as a "shining talent" destined for "great things".

"Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules. He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward," the statement said.

Bianchi, 25, had been in a coma since an accident in Japan on 5 October in which he collided at high speed with a mobile crane which was being used to pick up another crashed car.

He died at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in his home town of Nice,

Formula One, Indycar and NASCAR drivers have posted tributes to F1 driver Jules Bianchi who has died aged 25.

Tributes have flooded in for Jules Bianchi who competed in 34 races over the 2013 and 2014 seasons, scoring the first championship points for Manor - then known as Marussia - by finishing ninth at last year's Monaco Grand Prix.

Drivers from Formula one, Indycar and NASCAR have posted messages of condolence on Twitter following the news that F1 driver Jules Bianchi has died aged 25.