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[EwanM]

But he isn't out of the woods yet:

Massa's eye also injured in Hungary crash

27/07/09 15:46

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 4644.shtml

Massa on a careful road to recovery
His skull and brain injuries aside, it is damage to Felipe Massa's left eye that may pose the biggest danger to his racing career.

Robert Veres was the surgeon who operated on the Ferrari driver on Saturday night, and he has revealed that Massa's eye was hurt in the qualifying accident but doesn't "know the quality of this damage."

It is believed that tests have shown no major structural damage to the eye, but that more detailed examinations or treatment are not possible while he is in coma with more pressing health risks.

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo visited the central Budapest AEK hospital on Monday, and La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy reports that he and team boss Stefano Domenicali will return by private jet on Tuesday.

Montezemolo said: "The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver.
We have now returned to Maranello but tomorrow we will be back with Felipe."

He added that Ferrari's priority is Massa's health, but that the team will not "wait too long" before considerations about his replacement begin.

It is also reported, by Brazil's TV Globo, that Massa may be transferred later this week from Budapest to Paris' Pitie-Salpetriere hospital, which has links with the FIA and has treated patients including Michael Schumacher and Ronaldo.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

[Gilles 27]

Yup I just read that, not good news at all. Reminds me a little of Stirling Moss's Goodwood crash, his eye was damaged but although he made virtually a full physical recovery, he couldn't quite drive the same way he had before and he quit. I hope Massa keeps his edge if he does return, it wouldn't be the same without him near the front.

[Amanda]

Hopefully, upon further examination, the eye will be okay. "No structural damage" sounds promising at least. However I completely agree with this statement;

Montezemolo said: The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver

[Focused]

I hope he recovers just to be a father to his unborn child. He's rich and he has more to live for than racing now. Injuries like this always put things in to perspective for "family men". Actually, I think his F1 career is over and he should just concentrate on getting well and being with his family. Get well soon Felipe Baby!!!

[Gaz]

Hopefully, upon further examination, the eye will be okay. "No structural damage" sounds promising at least. However I completely agree with this statement;

Montezemolo said: The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver

Thats the right attitude but i have to think if i was a driver and couldn't race in F1 again i'd be pretty gutted.

[kerc]

Hopefully, upon further examination, the eye will be okay. "No structural damage" sounds promising at least. However I completely agree with this statement;

Montezemolo said: The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver

Thats the right attitude but i have to think if i was a driver and couldn't race in F1 again i'd be pretty gutted.

I don't know how old you are, and honestly I don't mean to sound condescending, but when you have a family...a wife you really love, children (or in Felipe's case, one that is on the way!), everything else can take second place, without any regrets. We Latins/Latinos are very much family-oriented, and most decisions are usually made based on our family well-being.

I think Felipe will quit F1, take a long Sabbatical, and return as a sports car racer, maybe do LeMans, or go into some Touring championship. And of course, will keep his love for karting.

It felt weird not having Felipe on the race yesterday. It's like when you know things are not "right". I'm incredibly happy with the race results, but it did feel weird. Plus my son was lamenting not having his F1 hero in the race.

[Besson]

I wish Massa the greatest health, he is a hero and a great driver

This has been a horrible weekend, im glad to hear the news is positive again this morning and hopefully the all clear will be given soon

[headless]

Yeah, first things first is just getting back to being a person, not racer.
Like veryone saying he has a family coming, so maybe for their sake he will chose not to race any longer.

[Denthúl]

Hopefully, upon further examination, the eye will be okay. "No structural damage" sounds promising at least. However I completely agree with this statement;

Montezemolo said: The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver

Thats the right attitude but i have to think if i was a driver and couldn't race in F1 again i'd be pretty gutted.

I don't know how old you are, and honestly I don't mean to sound condescending, but when you have a family...a wife you really love, children (or in Felipe's case, one that is on the way!), everything else can take second place, without any regrets. We Latins/Latinos are very much family-oriented, and most decisions are usually made based on our family well-being.

I think Felipe will quit F1, take a long Sabbatical, and return as a sports car racer, maybe do LeMans, or go into some Touring championship. And of course, will keep his love for karting.

It felt weird not having Felipe on the race yesterday. It's like when you know things are not "right". I'm incredibly happy with the race results, but it did feel weird. Plus my son was lamenting not having his F1 hero in the race.

I'm in two minds. On one hand, I know that Felipe cares very much for his family. However, as we've seen, he is also a fighter, so I can't say what I think will happen. In the past, we've seen some drivers destroyed by accidents (Herbert, for example) and others come back stronger (Schumacher, Hakkinen after 1995). I guess it depends on how it affects Felipe in the end. I would think him wise if he chose to put his family first, though, because that is exactly what I would do

[headless]

Its silly thining now, that we actually thought he may have a little chance of racing (tommorow - as it were).

[Hexagram]

If Massa can physically recover from this accident which is starting to look likely, he will race in F1 again. I am sure of it.

[Jamie]

In once sense business is business. But talking about him like that is a little sad. But he will be racing again. Anyone who says otherwise needs a slap! Zinardi races with no legs. So anything is possible.

[headless]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristiano_ ... uring_test

Collision with deer during test
On August 3, 2006 da Matta's car was involved in a collision with a deer that ran in front of him as he headed towards turn 6 during Champ Car open testing at Road America. He hit the deer with his right front tire, the deer then flew back and hit da Matta in the cockpit. It is believed when the deer hit da Matta in the cockpit, he was knocked unconscious. He remained unconscious with his foot still on the brake when the safety crew arrived and extricated da Matta from the car. Da Matta was then airlifted to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, Wisconsin, where he underwent surgery to remove a subdural hematoma. Following the surgery, da Matta was placed in an induced coma, to allow for the swelling to subside. As of August 7, da Matta was making "slow but steady progress", while the doctors were working on reducing da Matta's level of sedation. This slow recovery was confirmed on August 9, as it was reported that da Matta was able to move "all of his extremities spontaneously as well as in response to physical stimulation". On August 20, da Matta was transferred out of intensive care. On August 30, da Matta was confirmed to have made steady progress, conversing in English and Portuguese, and walking short distances. On 21 September 2006, da Matta was allowed to leave the hospital after having recovered better than expected.

When the Champ Car World Series returned to race in the Grand Prix of Road America on September 24, da Matta gave the traditional command - "start your engines". Throughout the next couple of years, he engaged in a training and therapy regime while deciding his racing future.

Massa's situation sounds so very similar to Cristiano Da Matta's

[Gaz]

Hopefully, upon further examination, the eye will be okay. "No structural damage" sounds promising at least. However I completely agree with this statement;

Montezemolo said: The most important thing is the recovery of the man, not the driver

Thats the right attitude but i have to think if i was a driver and couldn't race in F1 again i'd be pretty gutted.

I don't know how old you are, and honestly I don't mean to sound condescending, but when you have a family...a wife you really love, children (or in Felipe's case, one that is on the way!), everything else can take second place, without any regrets. We Latins/Latinos are very much family-oriented, and most decisions are usually made based on our family well-being.

I think Felipe will quit F1, take a long Sabbatical, and return as a sports car racer, maybe do LeMans, or go into some Touring championship. And of course, will keep his love for karting.

It felt weird not having Felipe on the race yesterday. It's like when you know things are not "right". I'm incredibly happy with the race results, but it did feel weird. Plus my son was lamenting not having his F1 hero in the race.

I don't have a wife or kids so i can't say i'd know how he will react there but like Denth says hes a fighter and if he makes a full recovery he'll be racing again.

I can't see him giving up like this.

[Jamie]

Two different cases. Plus Champ Car is different to F1. And De Matta is racing now? So he is fine and so will Massa!!

Trust me Massa might not race this season but he will next season.

Lorenzo has seriously injured and he jumped on the bike the same weekend. It's a harsh business, but this might have shook him a little and he might settle after 2010 to be a Ferrari boss.