Felipe Massa – A Year After His Mishap
Although McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton took the winners trophy at last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, it was Felipe Massa who stole the headlines at the 2009 event, albeit for the wrong reasons. The occasion was overshadowed by Massa’s life threatening accident at the qualifying stages in Budapest last year, which saw the Brazilian sidelined for the remainder of the season. Yet Massa has made a remarkable return to top-notch racing, overcoming the overwhelming odds.
Before the qualifying campaign got underway, Massa had appeared quite assured in his Ferrari, setting the seventh-fastest time on the weekends ultimate practice session, and when qualifying commenced Massa was just as swift. But during the dying moments of the second qualifying session, whilst galloping eighth, Massa’s Ferrari suddenly veered off the Hungaroring circuit at Turn Four and bumped headlong into a tyre wall.
It was later discovered from replays that a component from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn had dislodged itself and struck Massa’s helmet. In the paddocks there was stunned silence as the safety vehicle emerged and medics attempted to liberate the wounded Brazilian from the remains of his badly maligned Ferrari. The high-velocity crash had produced considerable debris and it took a while to clear up the mess, postponing the start of the third qualifying session.
After he had been released from the car, Massa was hastened to the medical department for a basic diagnosis and then on to the AEK Hospital in Budapest. Although regaining consciousness, it was found that Massa was injured on the forehead, had suffered a fractured skull and a concussion. The Brazilian was successfully operated upon soon after and was then placed in the intensive care unit.
Therefore on Sunday morning, Massa opened his eyes in the hospital instead of waking up to race the Hungaroring. A CT scan was performed and the Brazilian was placed under a medically induced coma to assist with his recuperation. Back at the circuit, an out of spirits Ferrari expressed their support for Massa with a moving pit board message showing solidarity with the Brazilian. Massa’s Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen was the only Ferrari representative at the Hungarian Grand Prix race day and marked the day’s campaign was a laudable second place finish.
Later on Monday, Ferrari announced Massa was conscious and responding to family and friends and by Tuesday the update was even more heartening with doctors announcing he would hopefully be able to leave the hospital in little more than a week’s time. The following day Massa was released from intensive care and was well enough to leave for Brazil the coming week.
The Brazilian’s long-term recuperation would, however, be a much longer process and Ferrari decided to bring in Massa’s former team mate, Michael Schumacher to fill his gloves while the Brazilian recovered. Yet Schumacher’s comeback was not for long as fitness issues soon returned to dog the German, forcing Ferrari to look else where for Massa’s temporary replacement. After trying out seasoned test driver Luca Badoer in Valencia and Belgium, the Italian side seized Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella to take Massa’s place, but he failed to show much promise, casting into sharper relief the convalescent Brazilian’s unmistakable talent.
Meanwhile, back at home in South America, Massa was already busy preparing to mark his return in 2010 and in November 2009 the Brazilian was overjoyed to be back in the driving seat of his F60, even though the ride constituted an exhibition run at his Italian team’s habitual celebrations marking the season’s end.
Massa was back onto the professional grid in late November at his yearly International Challenge of the Stars kart racing competition. It was obvious Massa’s ability and thirst to triumph were unharmed, as he outpaced Michael Schumacher decisively during one of the races and ended runner-up in the aggregate results behind his on-time team mate. In 2010, Massa finally made his long awaited return to Formula One, now paired alongside two time world champion Fernando Alonso.
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