Rubens Barrichello is adamant that Felipe Massa’s crash in Hungary is a sign that changes are needed to improve driver safety.
Massa underwent emergency surgery after he was hit on the head by debris and pitched into the tyre wall at Turn 4 during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The operation is understood to have had a “positive outcome” and Massa will remain in intensive care at the AEK hospital in Budapest.
The accident shares similarities to the F2 accident that tragically killed Henry Surtees last week. Surtees was hit on the head by a flying tyre from an accident ahead of him.
“I honestly don’t believe in coincidences in life,” Barrichello told reporters.
“Things happen for a reason and I think this is the second message.
He pointed to Imola 1994 when the death of his close friend and rival Ayrton Senna triggered sweeping changes in car and track safety.
“Imola was a message and the cars were improved. Unfortunately, we lost a boy, 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. Yes. Absolutely.
“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.”
