Ferrari's Fernando Alonso struggling to sleep after Jules Bianchi's crash

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso has admitted that he is finding it "difficult" to sleep while Marussia's Jules Bianchi remains in critical condition in hospital with a severe head injury.

The 25-year-old Frenchman needed medical treatment after he collided with a recovery vehicle that was tending to Adrian Sutil's Sauber at Suzuka during Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

It is believed that Bianchi, who has undergone surgery, remains reliant on a respirator in hospital, despite some reports claiming that the sportsman is breathing unaided.

Alonso wrote on Twitter that he was struggling to get some sleep and has also changed his profile picture to a collage of images of himself with Bianchi.

Difficult to sleep... #ForzaJules

— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) October 5, 2014