Massa crashes after being hit by heave spring

[Callum]

Think of the story he can tell his grandchildren!

[TRICKLE69]

Think of the story he can tell his grandchildren!

With pics and video to prove it!!! [-o<

[Richard]

I hope Massa doesn't come back too soon. Possibly start to build himself up in winter testing.... although a cameo at Interlagos might be too tempting???

... but I wouldn't be surprised if headaches and poor vision keep him out until 2011!

Gosh, my hunches seem to be coming true. First I said Schumi was unlikely to make it back, today Massa has said he is aiming for a comeback in Brasil.

I still wouldn't be surprised if his return was delayed... although my 2011 comment is looking a bit flippant!

[Giblet]

Terribly ugly stitching though, where was this performed, anyone?

I was gonna say the same thing.

Although the wound could've been wide open and swollen at the time, so we can't really know. I can foresee a second go at the stitching for Felipe.

I am an expert at getting stitched up, and the only time a scar looks good, is if the cut was made by something sharp, like a scalpel, for surgery.

Find me an impact wound that was stiched any better, and I will be very impressed. The skin is so thin around the head, and there is not meat for the stitches to go into.

A very good job I think.

[mx_tifoso]

Well he is getting cosmectic surgery to reduce the appearance of the scar, so it shouldn't look that bad when all is said and done.

Besides, scars serve as reminders. I have a barely visible scar under my right eyebrow that reminds me of what happened back when I used to skateboard in middleschool. Now when I touch it I remember how much it hurt and bled.

[Ciro Pabón]

Wow. Lucky Felipe.

The wound looks awful, I think it makes him a very different person. I wonder if people will still make comments about his "boyish" character.

If he needed somehow to be put through an ordeal to become a tough driver, right now he is going through one, in front of our eyes.

There are some tales about people that has gone through a major crash. For example, at random, let's take... me.

I crashed once after many years of driving... well, driving like the Gods. I thought I was invincible, in some sense (I still do ). Actually, that accident made me think that I was actually, somehow, untouchable: I survived.

However (and I swear I'm not making this up) after that crash, for almost a year, I was physically startled sometimes, specially when large trucks appeared suddenly in front of me. I found that very curious, as I did not crash (I wasn't even driving) with a truck, but I had a hard rollover.

I don't know how to find a better word than "phisically" (perhaps "bodily"?): it wasn't me, it was my body the one who was startled... Yeah, that sounds stupid, but that was the way it felt.

There are several stories, whispered in the pitlane from ear to ear (I imagine) about famous drivers and famous crashes, in terms of the physical or spiritual changes the drivers went through.

Everytime I see a racing crash I remember the first film by Werner Herzog, that I once saw, called Herakles. It's a very short movie, where bodybuilders lifting weights are interspersed with scenes from the footage of the famous 1955 F1 accident at Le Mans.

I quote the guy: a strongman “encompasses intellectual strength, independence of mind, confidence, self-reliance, and maybe even a kind of innocence... (but) even the strongman striving for some superhuman quality can still be cut down by cruel acts of chance".

You know, sometimes, some people doesn't give a damn about who wins or who losses, but about the personalities in this sport and Massa is certainly one. Who knows if his personna will be defined in part by this accident?

I remember how (apparently) Alex Zanardi changed, from famous to legend. Compared with him, the scars Felipe has right now are almost... well, I don't know, "homely"? (I run out of words pretty quickly when I don't think in English, I mean no disrespect for Felipe )

I only hope he doesn't crash anymore. It can be argued that right now he's probably the person in the grid who takes more risks. Perhaps only Alonso is at the same level of what fans call "courage" and regular people calls "insanity"... and those cars "flip-up" very easily.

[Giblet]

However (and I swear I'm not making this up) after that crash, for almost a year, I was physically startled sometimes, specially when large trucks appeared suddenly in front of me. I found that very curious, as I did not crash (I wasn't even driving) with a truck, but I had a hard rollover.

Ciro,

You are probably going to amazed I am alive after the pics you have seen of my injuries, but I can attest to the shock of being in an accident.

When I was about 11 or so my father, brother and I were going through an intersection and were hit head on by someone from another country that was not used to our road rules. Or he wasn't in to rules, because he turned right into us, head on, as he thought a green light meant you could turn into us.

Anyways, no seatbelts, as that was the fashion at the time, and I broke the windshield of this Plymouth Horizon with my face. Amazing I am still so really, really, really good looking (Zoolander reference).

After a bit of recovery, maybe 3 days, with a cast on my leg, one half of my face basically a red scab, and the other a blue/green bruise. The rental car was a Dodge Omni, which is the sister car of the Horizon.

For the first drive, I was holding on to the Holy --- handle, and drooling like a buffoon. I was unable to relax in a car for at least a year, and my dad could not o near 100km/h for almost as long.

I can't sit in a car that is off and not moving without a belt on.

[andartop]

Ok from Miami for Massa:

http://www.f1technical.net/news/13217

Great news!
Dedicated to all the "experts" who rushed to speculate about Felipe's prognosis based on a picture, wikipedia and hearsay..

Here's hoping he'll be back in his racing overalls for Brazil!!!

[modbaraban]

Here's hoping he'll be back in his racing overalls for Brazil!!!

Where did that come from? 2 days ago I read that Ferrari ruled out his comeback in 2009.

[axle]

Here's hoping he'll be back in his racing overalls for Brazil!!!

Where did that come from? 2 days ago I read that Ferrari ruled out his comeback in 2009.

Indeed - he's making good progress...but that doesn't mean he can drive yet - the worst bit will be the helmet...it's got to fit and not be uncomfortable, might sound silly but there is a risk he'll never be comfortable with a crash hat on again....

[andartop]

Here's hoping he'll be back in his racing overalls for Brazil!!!

Where did that come from? 2 days ago I read that Ferrari ruled out his comeback in 2009.

That came straight from the heart.. [-o<
He has been recovering very well though, so let's hope and wait and see.

Contrary to a lot of people in this forum, most journalists and even some "experts" of various specialties, I have been quite optimistic about Felipe's recovery all along, as you can see going back in this thread. My optimism was not based on my hopes but on the information we had at any given time about Felipe's condition. True, things could have been much worse, but I think that pure and wild speculation about possible worst case scenarios really serves no purpose in conditions like this.

[rjsa]

Massa managed 6 laps with a go kart today. Party was spoiled by heavy rain here in São Paulo.

[Giblet]

Here's hoping he'll be back in his racing overalls for Brazil!!!

Where did that come from? 2 days ago I read that Ferrari ruled out his comeback in 2009.

That came straight from the heart.. [-o<
He has been recovering very well though, so let's hope and wait and see.

Contrary to a lot of people in this forum, most journalists and even some "experts" of various specialties, I have been quite optimistic about Felipe's recovery all along, as you can see going back in this thread. My optimism was not based on my hopes but on the information we had at any given time about Felipe's condition. True, things could have been much worse, but I think that pure and wild speculation about possible worst case scenarios really serves no purpose in conditions like this.

I hear ya, but head injuries are day to day, and while hope has it's place, being realistic is more....realistic. Ferrari, if they were being realistic, they would have an actual driver ready to go. They should have known of Schumi's inability to drive an F1 car now, and Badoer's inability to drive one quickly. It's just due diligence. This poor planning has hurt them in late season development, and points.

We can afford to be optimistic, but Ferrari has dropped the ball.

Mclaren are at least ready for the worst and keep De La Rosa in much better readiness.

[Richard]

Mclaren are at least ready for the worst and keep De La Rosa in much better readiness.

Slightly OT, but I disagree. Pedro is behind a mic commentating for Spanish TV. I'd have thought the ideal test/reserve driver would be active in a feeder series?

[rjsa]

Again at the same track, now with pictures:

http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/ ... EM+SP.html