French Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi has died from injuries he sustained in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
Jules Bianchi Photo: AFP
The 25-year-old suffered severe head injuries when he crashed in wet conditions into a recovery vehicle last October.
He had remained in a coma since the accident in Suzuka.
In a statement his family said: "Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end."
He died in hospital near his parents' home in Nice in the south of France.
His family said: "We thank Jules's colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times.
"Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world."
Bianchi, who made his F1 debut with Marussia in 2013 was also a member of the Ferrari young driver academy after previously working as a test driver for the team.
- BBC