Felipe Massa in life threatening condition

[Rock]

Ferrari dedicate podium to Felipe reports Sky Sports.

Dedication

Team principal Stefano Domenicali dedicated Kimi Raikkonen's second place behind Lewis Hamilton in Sunday's race to Massa.

Domenicali, who visited his driver immediately after the race, said: "We dedicate the result to Felipe.

"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.

"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."

During the race itself, Massa's mechanics displayed a pit board in his garage with the message 'forza Felipe siamo con te' - 'strength Felipe we are with you'.

Massa's injuries stem from an incident during Saturday's second qualifying session when a spring from the suspension on Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car fell loose and hit his helmet at an estimated speed of 162 mph.

Concussed but with his foot still pressed firmly on the accelerator pedal, Massa then straightlined into a tyre barrier.


Recovery

Raikkonen, who joined Domenicali, Barrichello and Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn on a visit to the hospital, is convinced his team-mate will make a full recovery.

"It's a sad thing that's happened from a very unlucky situation," the Finn said.

"But as long as we race with open cockpits our heads are always the first place that's going to be hit if something is flying around. It is part of racing and we all know that.

"What happened was really unfortunate, but luckily enough he's more or less okay.

"He's probably going to be a hundred percent fine in a little time. We in the team all hope he's going to be fine and come back soon."

[The Professor]

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headline...27193150.shtml

The latest reports from the Budapest hospital AEK about the condition of recovering Ferrari driver Felipe Massa are very positive.

It is said that the Brazilian, seriously injured when flying debris struck the front of his helmet during Hungarian GP qualifying last Saturday, has been woken from his induced coma and will not be put unconscious again.

Another scan on Monday afternoon showed that the 28-year-old's brain swelling had subsided, moving the medical team to wake him up and withdraw the artificial breathing.

Massa is said to now be conscious and has spoken his first words since the crash. A full recovery is now expected, with the biggest concern now being the condition of his damaged


left eye.



There were reports on Monday that Massa's optic nerve behind his left eye had been damaged to an unspecified degree.

It is however believed that his personal doctor Dino Altmann will not now push for the transfer from Hungary to Paris, given Monday afternoon's positive news indicates a far shorter hospitalisation.

He's out of the medically induced coma and seems to be speaking so its just the eye that's the main worry now

Imo it speaks volumes for the standard of F1 safety that it takes a freak accident to hurt someone seriously, and even then they've managed to pull through

[StefanWolves]

F1 is very safe, but you can't stop freak accidents like these, and fortunately they do occur and will keep occurring, they cannot be stopped.

[Rock]

The formula 1 website also reports he is awake and progressing well.

[iAdam]

Yeah i see your point but it depends on the person. I'll use the example of Alex Zanardi, he lost both his legs in a serious ChampCar accident at a track in 2001. When he'd recovered and had prosthetic limbs fitted and had his car modified accordingly so he could race it, he went back to the track and competed in a race at that track (albeit only the last 13 laps). According to wikipedia if he had paticipated in qualifying that weekend he'd have qualified 5th which isn't all that bad.

Tbh I hope to god you're wrong, the guy deserves to win at least one world championship

I hope i'm wrong also but to be frank, it'll be his decision whether he comes back at the end of the day and an accident like this takes so much toll on your mind it's unbelievable and he'll of lost his no fear attitude. However if he has lost some of the memory of the crash then he will be alot better than he would of been.

[StefanWolves]

Hes set to be released in 10 days, fantastic news, glad to see hes awake and well now. (doctors brought him out of the medically induced comer.)

source ~ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...457421,00.html