For all you F1 fans who didn't already know. I am sad to report that Felipe Massa (Ferrari driver) was struck by debris in qualifying and suffered a skull fracture. He has been successfully operated on and is in a drug induced coma in intensive care. His condition is life threatening but stable. My best wishes for his recovery and to his wife and family in this difficult time. Please think good thoughts for a classy and great example of sportsmanship at the very highest levels of sport.
F1 Felipe Massa in serious condition
- Thread starter nottyboi
- Start date
Hey thanks for this tread.
He should be okay, he was conscious when he got to hospital. ICU is sometimes better as they monitor the patient one to one. Plus you're out so don't feel the pain.
God Speed FM. Hope to see you back in Montreal (if that comes back) next year.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/7/9671.html
He should be okay, he was conscious when he got to hospital. ICU is sometimes better as they monitor the patient one to one. Plus you're out so don't feel the pain.
God Speed FM. Hope to see you back in Montreal (if that comes back) next year.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/7/9671.html
DC sums up things well
"Felipe Massa's crash in the second period was a very stark reminder that this is a dangerous sport, just as it says on the ticket.
It was shocking to see the 2008 championship runner-up plough his Ferrari into the tyre wall and then not to initially know what the outcome of his accident was.
All we could see was Massa slumped in the car, which is never a good sign. It took quite some time for the information to reach us in the paddock that he was OK.
Television replays showed that he had been struck on the left-hand side of his helmet by a piece of flying debris.
It looks to me that he was momentarily knocked out because he drifted to the inside of the track, which is not at all a natural racing line, and the point at which he starts to brake is at the top of the corner rather than later.
Luckily, the car did its bit and the tyre wall did its bit but coming just six days after the death of Henry Surtees, son of 1964 world champion John Surtees, who suffered a head injury during a Formula Two race at Brand's Hatch.
After Surtees's tragic death, the vulnerability of the open cockpit has been in the back of all the drivers' minds.
That is the essence of single-seater racing but it also reminds us of the risk the drivers face.
The strange qualifying session was compounded by the fact that in the closing minutes all the official timing screens went down.
The end result was that nobody knew who was on pole and the top 10 drivers got out of their cars and were swapping times to work out who had actually set the hot lap. "
Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8169012.stm
"Felipe Massa's crash in the second period was a very stark reminder that this is a dangerous sport, just as it says on the ticket.
It was shocking to see the 2008 championship runner-up plough his Ferrari into the tyre wall and then not to initially know what the outcome of his accident was.
All we could see was Massa slumped in the car, which is never a good sign. It took quite some time for the information to reach us in the paddock that he was OK.
Television replays showed that he had been struck on the left-hand side of his helmet by a piece of flying debris.
It looks to me that he was momentarily knocked out because he drifted to the inside of the track, which is not at all a natural racing line, and the point at which he starts to brake is at the top of the corner rather than later.
Luckily, the car did its bit and the tyre wall did its bit but coming just six days after the death of Henry Surtees, son of 1964 world champion John Surtees, who suffered a head injury during a Formula Two race at Brand's Hatch.
After Surtees's tragic death, the vulnerability of the open cockpit has been in the back of all the drivers' minds.
That is the essence of single-seater racing but it also reminds us of the risk the drivers face.
The strange qualifying session was compounded by the fact that in the closing minutes all the official timing screens went down.
The end result was that nobody knew who was on pole and the top 10 drivers got out of their cars and were swapping times to work out who had actually set the hot lap. "
Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8169012.stm
Henry Surtees died being hit bit a tire and wheel off a car that had an accident. This is possibly the biggest danger in any form of racing as some of the parts such as this tend to travel far, weigh a bunch, and can do significant damage. It is an unfortunate but unavoidable fact of open wheel style cars.
Massa is expected survive, but the hit was very serious and within a couple of inches of being fatal - it hit just over his left eye on the helmet rather than hitting right in the middle of the visor.
The biggest question in F1 right now is who will replace him while he is off (and for that matter, will he ever return). One rumor wag has Schumacher coming out of retirement for a few months just to fill in.
Massa is expected survive, but the hit was very serious and within a couple of inches of being fatal - it hit just over his left eye on the helmet rather than hitting right in the middle of the visor.
The biggest question in F1 right now is who will replace him while he is off (and for that matter, will he ever return). One rumor wag has Schumacher coming out of retirement for a few months just to fill in.
Here's him after the accident:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/25/article-1202117-05D7660D000005DC-235_306x389.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/25/article-1202117-05D7660D000005DC-235_306x389.jpg
asspanker said:
Man I wished earlier that he would recover and come back. But more and more I think about it, if I were his family I would never let him near a sports car anymore.
It is definately worst than I had thought. My thoughts are with you Massa.
Massa off respirator and out of coma
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/27072009/58/massa-respirator-coma.html
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/27072009/58/massa-respirator-coma.html
The helmet worked exactly as it should have done. In fact the helmet is being credited as a major reason that he is still alive. The eight years of development that went into the FIA8860 helmet that he was wearing definatley paid off.JohnFK said:
An interesting and sensitive article by Martin Brundle, whos son was racing in the race that Henry Surtees was killed in.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article6727505.ece
Massa had to fight really hard to make it into F1 and he beat many odds in the process. He used to deliver pizza to the F1 teams at the Brazilian GP. I just love how he beat all the odds to make it to the top. If he recovers fully (eye and brain) nothing will stop him from getting back in that car. The level of passion that got him there, ensures he will stop at nothing to get back. From his interviews, he seems like a hell of a nice guy as well. A rare combo.spacyfoil said:
nottyboi said:
Nottyboi, lets say he Will recover fully, gotta think positive, not if. He's definately a nice guy. And now he's gonna be a dad soon.
Gone thru very dangerous surgery. And to me even 1% chance of complications is not worth risking life.....after you're a dad.
Just my view of life.....once you're a dad......gotta live life for life you made.
spacyfoil said:
The sport is not really that dangerous. This was a very freak accident. The odds of this happening in F1 are much less then a tire from a truck crashing through your windshield in the end. Schumi races long after he became a father, although many drivers have admitted it does take a bit of an edge off you as you desperately want to be there for your child. I think Felipes desire to win a championship is enormous. BTW I just read his eye is fine...great news !!!
