Massa shows signs of improvement

Felipe Massa is attended to by F1 medical officer Gary Hartstein.

errari driver Felipe Massa has shown signs of improvement following surgery on a fractured skull in Hungary.

Massa, 28, who was hit by a spring from Ruben Barrichello's car, is now able to communicate "actively" and move his hands and legs but cannot speak.

A Ferrari spokesman said: "Felipe had a quiet night. He is okay, and he is due to have another CT scan today."

"We are optimistic in our hope that a slow recovery is beginning." said hospital spokesman Istvan Bocskai.

"He's woken up [from sedation] more often and is able to communicate actively," added Hungarian defence ministry spokesman Bocskai.

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo will fly to Budapest's AEK military hospital on Monday to be at Massa's bedside, alongside the driver's father, mother and pregnant wife, who have all flown in from Brazil.

Massa sustained his injuries when a spring from fellow Brazilian Barrichello's car struck his helmet during Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying, he then hit a tyre wall.

And following Kimi Raikkonen's second-place finish at the Hungaroring on Sunday, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali dedicated the result to Massa.

"At this time all our thoughts are with him and his family, and I think this sentiment also applies to those who are close to him and to fans all over the world," said Domenicali.

"Kimi drove a great race and the team worked in impeccable fashion, concentrating on the job, despite what happened.

"We got the best result we were capable of but please allow me on behalf of everyone at Ferrari to send our best wishes to Felipe. We love you and we are all thinking of you."

Race winner Lewis Hamilton extended his goodwill to Massa following the Briton's first victory of the season.

"Maybe I can speak for all the drivers but Saturday was quite a sad day and we missed Felipe," stated the defending world champion.

"For me, I've had a great relationship with Felipe for quite a few years now and some great battles with him.

"I'm just glad the surgery went well and we're just going to keep him in our thoughts and prayers, and we wish him a speedy recovery.

"He's got a child coming, so he needs to get back into top shape so when he's finally a dad he can do the job well."

After being struck on the helmet by the 1kg spring from Barrichello's car, Massa's feet are believed to have come to rest on both the throttle and brake and his car ploughed head on into a tyre wall at about 125mph.




Massa was swiftly attended to by trackside medics before being taken to the circuit's medical centre, after which he was airlifted to hospital.

Meanwhile, Barrichello revealed his thoughts were with Massa, even during the race.

He conceded: "I would love to see him because he is a friend, not just because the spring came from my car.

"It is for the fact that I know he would have done the same for me. But at the same time I have to think of my kids, of my family, and to be there for them, so it is a bit of an emotional moment.

"It is burning a little bit in my stomach, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of him in the the middle of the race."

Massa's accident came days after Formula Two driver Henry Surtees, 18, was killed in what was described as a freak accident during a race at Brands Hatch.

The son of motorsport legend John Surtees was struck by a wheel that flew off a competitor's car.

Felipe Massa Crash In Hungry Grand Prix

Ferrari's Felipe Massa has escaped serious injury after crashing heavily towards the end of Saturday's Q2 qualifying session at the Hungaroring.

Massa ploughed straight off the circuit at Turn 4, burying the front of his car in a tyre wall, after being struck on the head by a piece of debris, thought to have come from the rear of Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car.

Medics were quickly in attendance and the start of Q3 was delayed as they extricated the Brazilian. After initial examinations at the medical centre, Massa, eighth fastest in Q2, was transferred by helicopter to hospital for further precautionary checks.

It was subsequently confirmed that Massa was conscious following the accident and that he has sustained a cut above his left eye, which is not believed to be serious.



Niki Lauda and David Coulthard said Felipe Massa's freak 170mph accident in Hungary was a "wake-up call" for Formula One.

The popular Brazilian lay in an induced coma in intensive care yesterday, with no word yet on whether he will be able to make a full recovery. The accident came six days after Henry Surtees, son of F1 legend John Surtees, was killed by a flying wheel at Brands Hatch.

The FIA have already launched an investigation into how Massa was hit by a suspension spring from Rubens Barrichello's car during Saturday's practice session.

And F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone said moves will be made to improve helmet safety even though the 28-year-old's head protection was already strong enough to take the full weight f an army tank or a speeding bullet.

Massa, who had surgery on a fractured skull on Saturday, was briefly brought out of his induced coma yesterday morning for doctors to do a new CT scan. They reported "no further complications" before putting him under for another two days.

"It is a wake-up call for every-one,said former world champion Lauda. "The human brain is so stupid it forgets how dangerous this sport is.

"Since the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger [in 1994] we have had little more than a broken finger, more or less.

"It was an accident waiting to happen. This sport is dangerous. If you drive these cars at these speeds it is dangerous.

"It is an alarm call from somebody up there. It is an alarm call to all of us not to think that this sport is safe and that no-one will get hurt. To be hit by a spring weighing nearly a kilo at 175mph is like getting hit by a ton of metal. Nobody makes a helmet for this kind of accident.

"You can't. If it had come a little further into the centre there is no way he would have survived. He was lucky. We have been lucky for the past 15 years since Senna."




Retired F1 ace Coulthard added: "Helmets are 10 per cent stronger this year - maybe last season the accident would have been fatal.

"Motorsport will never be 100 per cent safe; life is not 100 per cent safe."

Lauda called on Ferrari legend Michael Schu-mache(inset) to come out of retirement to lead the team he took to a record five successive world titles.

"If it was my choice he would be the first person I would call," said triple champion Lauda. "Even coming back from retirement he is a better choice than anyone out there."

There were emotional scenes yesterday as Massa's father Luis, mother Ana Elena, and pregnant wife Raffaela went straight to Budapest's AEK Hospital from an overnight flight from Brazil and were met by Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali Saturday's qualifying session was the first Massa's father had missed in 115 Grands Prix covering seven years.

Family, friends, and the entire sport now wait to hear if Massa can make a full recovery.

The dreadful reality is that with a fractured skull and serious damage to his left eye it is too early to know when, even if, he will return.

Ecclestone who has visited Massa twice in hospital, said: "It is terrible when something like this happens and we will take it very seriously, but it does seem to have been a freakish accident. We all hope Felipe will be back as soon as he is fully fit."

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh believes that the Surtees and Massa crashes should prompt a reaction to match the events that followed the deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger.

"The events of 1994 contributed to a lot of big steps forward in safety, and I think we have to go again," he said.