The Formula One driver Jules Bianchi is no longer in an artificial coma and is breathing unaided.
The 25-year-old Marussia driver was seriously injured when he crashed in wet conditions into a recovery vehicle at the Japanese Grand Prix on October 5th.
French formula one driver Jules Bianchi. Photo: Photosport
Bianchi was stable enough to be transported from Japan to a university hospital in Nice, in his native France.
However in a statement from his parents they say his condition is still "critical" and he remains unconscious.
Philippe and Christine says almost seven weeks after Jules' accident at Suzuka Circuit, and following a challenging period of neurological intensive care, we are able to announce Jules has made an important step, and his treatment has now entered a new phase concerned with the improvement of his brain function.
Bianchi, who collected two championship points at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier in the season, was racing for the now-defunct Marussia team.
Marussia, meanwhile, have failed in a late bid to get back on the road for Monday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"Devastated for everyone involved at Marussia in the past 24 hours that the hard work trying to get to Abu Dhabi didn't work out as we hoped," their British driver Max Chilton told followers on Twitter.
Sources say there had been increasingly serious talks, culminating in negotiations through the night, to try to rescue the team but ultimately no agreement could be reached.
Staff had been on standby to fly to Abu Dhabi but all the efforts ultimately came to nothing.