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 The 25-year-old's Marussia team issued a statement on Monday
giving no medical details but acknowledging a "huge outpouring of
support and affection for Jules and the Team at this very difficult
time".
They said any update about his condition would be guided by the
wishes of his family.
"Together with Jules' care, they will remain our highest priority.
Therefore, we would ask for patience and understanding with regard
to further medical updates," added the British-based team.
French media said Bianchi remained critical and was under artificial
respiration, contrary to reports on Sunday evening that suggested he
was breathing unassisted after surgery.
Sky Sports television reported from the Mie General hospital in
Yokkaichi, near Suzuka, that his family were expected to arrive from
France shortly.
Bianchi suffered the injury when he aquaplaned off a wet track and
hit the back of a recovery tractor that had been deployed to remove
Adrian Sutil's crashed Sauber.
The race was then stopped, with his fellow drivers and teams in a
state of shock.
Race winner Lewis Hamilton, who leads the championship for Mercedes,
said he was praying for the Frenchman.
"Our first thoughts go to Jules -- it overshadows everything else
when one of our colleagues is injured and we are praying for him.
Next to this, the race result doesn't seem significant at all," the
Briton said.
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The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said the
driver had been extracted unconscious from the car and taken to
hospital where a scan revealed a severe head injury. He underwent
immediate surgery.
Marussia said senior team officials would stay at the hospital to
support the driver, along with representatives of Ferrari.
While racing for a struggling tail-end team, for whom Bianchi scored
their first ever points this season, the Frenchman also has a
contract with Ferrari as a test driver.
Highly regarded and a popular figure in the paddock, the Nice-born
driver finished an impressive ninth in Monaco last May and was
tipped as a talent for the future -- possibly with Ferrari.
He is also managed by Nicolas Todt, son of FIA president and former
Ferrari principal Jean, whose other drivers include Brazilian Felipe
Massa and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by John O'Brien)
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