Jules Bianchi funeral to be held on Tuesday

Jules Bianchi (1989-2015)

Nice (France), July 20 (IANS) Late Formula One driver Jules Bianchi's funeral will be held on Tuesday. Bianchi died on Friday night, nine months after suffering severe head injuries in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old had been in a coma since last October after his Marussia car collided with a recovery vehicle in wet conditions during the closing stages of the Japanese Grand Prix on October 5 last year.

"You can say goodbye to Jules Tuesday 21 July at 10 am at the Sainte Reparate Cathedral @VilledeNice #CiaoJules," it was announced, through his official Twitter feed, on Sunday night.

Bianchi sustained serious head injuries in the Suzuka accident, which occurred in heavy rain under yellow-flag conditions. As marshals were working to recover the damaged Sauber of Adrian Sutil, who had crashed out a lap earlier, Bianchi lost control of his car, travelled across the run-off area and hit the back of the recovery vehicle.

Bianchi died in hospital near his family's French home in Nice, where he was transferred from Japan last November.

The entire motorsport world is still coming to terms with the shock of his untimely death even as tributes continue to pour in from those across the sport, most recently from one of Bianchi’s closest friends – former World Champion Fernando Alonso.