Felipe Massa has undergone emergency surgery after suffering skull damage and concussion in a high-speed accident during Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.Ferrari say that the outcome was "positive" and that Massa will remain under observation in intensive care.The Italian team will make a further statement on his condition on Sunday.Massa slammed into a tyre wall after a spring that had fallen off Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car seconds earlier flew up and hit his helmet.The force of each impact was considerable - and the incident comes 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 which flew off a competitor's car.Massa - winner of 11 grands prix in his career - did manage to briefly apply the brakes as went off the Hungaroring track before his car ploughed head on into a tyre wall at around 125mph.The 28-year-old was swiftly attended to by trackside medics before being taken to the circuit's medical centre after which he was airlifted to hospital.Sunday's race will now take place with only 19 drivers as Massa recovers at the AEK Hospital in Budapest.Barrichello later led the calls for more stringent safety measures to be looked into.Referring to Surtees, the veteran Brazilian refused to believe the two incidents were coincidental."I honestly don't believe in coincidences in life," he said. "Things happen for a reason and I think this is the second message."Imola [where Ayrton Senna died in 1994] was a message and the cars were improved. Unfortunately, we lost a boy [surtees], which is tremendously sad. "It is not a coincidence something happened right now. In the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers' Association) we talked quite a lot about it yesterday - and something needs to be done. Absolutely.Something broke on my car - Barrichello"But I don't know what. We need to sit down and have a look at it. I think the cars are a hell of a lot safer, really a lot safer, but there is no coincidence on this and something needs to be looked at."Lewis Hamilton described the crash as "very scary" and said it must be looked into, while Jenson Button said it proved there "is still more we need to do on safety".Button and Barrichello's team boss Ross Brawn said the team were "naturally concerned" about Massa's condition. "We had a problem with the back of the car and we are still investigating," he added."We haven't had the piece back from [motorsport governing body] the FIA yet so once we get it back we can understand what occurred."It's the first time we've really had a problem with the car as it's been so reliable."McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh added: "What happened today was a shock."We've got to make sure we do everything we can to make F1 as safe as it can be."But a spring coming off and being in a collision four seconds later is an incredible circumstance and coincidence."You have to remember that motor racing is dangerous and that racing drivers are incredibly brave. It's all too easy to become blase about that."
Watched the crash after and it just looked nuts how the spring knocked him out.Hope he's alright still, first that young guy dies being hit in the head and now Massa.Nuts.
I HOPE & PRAY Lewis wins over this SPANIARD.Good bit of driving. Just hope nothing is gonna flop.He's fuelled more than Alonso so should have some laps to gain the advantage.
Red Bull going all up in the air in the pits, Webber nearly crashing into Kimi.Drive through penalty on the way.Lewis has to really push this one now.
He's +15s infront of Mark & Kimmi.I personally think it's his race to lose. As for the Red Bulls, with next season having no RE-FUEL it might stop the issues that they're having today.
2008 Champion gets his 1st 2009 WIN and podium. THANK f*ckWell derseved considering the amount of work done by his team in terms of parts production.Good work by the Ferrari aswell.
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done my teambut i just see what happened in practise nowi look doomed
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Guest Anarchy99
This track aint got any grip. None whatever.
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Sinister
WTF just happened with times?LOL @ Button "22.5 f*ckin' hell"LOL @ Alonso not knowing where he was.
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kahuna
massa took a beat down from that rouge peice of metal, that was serious, hitting that at 100+mph
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jcee
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Sinister
Watched the crash after and it just looked nuts how the spring knocked him out.Hope he's alright still, first that young guy dies being hit in the head and now Massa.Nuts.
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Guest Anarchy99
I HOPE & PRAY Lewis wins over this SPANIARD.Good bit of driving. Just hope nothing is gonna flop.He's fuelled more than Alonso so should have some laps to gain the advantage.
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MrJibbles
That's game over for Alonso now. Tyre went flying.Lewis up into 1st.
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Guest Anarchy99
ALONSO f*ckED as the front right wheel flies off due to a pit error.OH well. COME ON LEWIS.
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MrJibbles
Red Bull going all up in the air in the pits, Webber nearly crashing into Kimi.Drive through penalty on the way.Lewis has to really push this one now.
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Guest Anarchy99
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MrJibbles
That's a shame Vettel has gone.
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kahuna
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Guest Anarchy99
2008 Champion gets his 1st 2009 WIN and podium. THANK f*ckWell derseved considering the amount of work done by his team in terms of parts production.Good work by the Ferrari aswell.
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MrJibbles
Excellent win for Lewis.Huge boost for McClaren.
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Captain Planet
Really nice performance from Lewis today.Can somebody clue me up on this clean air theory?
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Guest Anarchy99
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MrJibbles
Not going to make another topic but anyone watching Motor GP?
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The King
Faultless drive from Lewis.
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Francis Coquelin
Massa's suffered career threatening damage on his left eye apparently.
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