Buzzin F1 – Formula One Blog

Felipe Massa - Hungarian Grand Prix 2009

The Formula One Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, underwent further surgery on Monday to repair the skull damage he received at the Budapest Grand Prix weekend in July.

The Brazilian driver had more than four-hours of surgery to insert a titanium plate to the area where his skull was damaged in the accident.  He is currently at the Sao Paulo Albert Einstein hospital but is expected to return home in a few days to begin his recuperation.

Massa said of the surgery, it is to….

“close a bone in my head that they had taken away because it was completely damaged.  A normal guy can live like this without any problem. But for a driver, if you have an accident and you have this problem, the recovery is more difficult.

That’s the only reason they won’t allow me to race now.  Otherwise I feel the same as before.  I’m going to Europe to use the simulator and drive some go-karts and then I will know very well if I’m 100%.”

Massa intends to speak with the FIA and drivers on his return to find ways to improve safety and stop head injuries like the ones he sustained and also by the late Henry Surtees.

Massa said;

“We need to look for improvements.  I’m not saying we need to cover (the cockpit) completely. But maybe there are some other things we can do to the car to stop a wheel hitting your head.

When I come back this is something I want to discuss with Charlie Whiting, the FIA and the drivers – because we all need to work together”.