Massa (Formula 1)

[Gunnar Brian]

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is in a "stable" condition following emergency surgery after he suffered skull damage and concussion.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8168807.stm

For those who don't follow Formula 1, during qualification yesterday, a piece off Barrichello's (Brawn GP team member) car seemed to come loose and fall onto the track, Massa who was driving behind seemed to get struck on the helmet by the piece (I think it's mentioned to be a spring, I think)

Now, I know your thinking, ok helmet, spring or small piece broken of an F1 machine, no damage. Well remember that Massa was also travelling at a fair speed when he was struck, and it was severe enough to knock him for 4 as he seemed unable to steer the car, but managed to try and down shift to decrease his speed before going into the tire wall.

I hope Massa makes a full and speedy recovery from this, and surely this is a call for more improved safety after the recent death in formula 2 of a promising kid known as Henry Surtees only days before.

[D2Kvirus]

I heard about this in passing on Saturday, and it does sound like an easily avoided accident that could've been much, much worse for Massa - and potentially other drivers and spectators.

[Gunnar Brian]

Technically yes, but for that it would have to go back to the guys looking after the car and that kind of level to ensure that nothing should have fallen off. To be honest, Massa never had a chance of avoiding it being only 4 seconds behind.

The kicker is Renault have been banned for the next race due to Alonso losing a tyre caused by carelessness from the pit crew.

[legendaryken]

Yeah, I presume you mean 'avoided' as in preventing the thing falling off Barrichello's car in the first place (though it wasn't the sort of thing that had ever happened before) There's no way that Massa could have avoided it. The spring apparently weighed 1kg and left a huge scar in Massa's helmet so it's likely that that did the damage rather than the subsequent impact in the tyre wall.
Oh, and I don't wanna speak ill of the dead, but Surtees wasn't particularly promising as a driver. I've seen him and, if it wasn't for the fact his dad was as big as he was, I doubt if he would have had half the opportunities he did get.

[Gunnar Brian]

Pretty much Ken, I mean last time I checked someone has the job of keeping the car in one piece, and much like any job you do, if you fail your pretty much gone. Onto the actual damage, yes it was the impact of the spring that did most the damage and more because of the relative speed Massa was travelling at, surely by applying some formulae you could work out roughtly the force of the spring onto the helmet and all that jazz.

[Nic]

Latest reports is Massa may never race again. Rumours of Schuey taking his spot for the remainder of the season...

[Nic]

Schumacher confirmed as Massa's replacment for the remainder of the season.

Rubens must've been playing too much Mario Kart lately... ;)

[Gunnar Brian]

Oh god and mathematically he can still draw level with the leader Button, surely he doesn't think he can actually salvage another title :laughing:

[Nic]

Oh god and mathematically he can still draw level with the leader Button, surely he doesn't think he can actually salvage another title :laughing:

Not in this year's red car. It's shit. But it'll be interesting to see what Schuey can wring out of it around Valencia.

[legendaryken]

Not a big Schumacher fan. I'll be delighted to see him tussling with the Toyotas in mid-field, getting blue flagged as the McLaren wants to overlap etc. It's virtually impossible to genuinely distinguish between drivers' abilities. All we can truly say from his years at Ferrari is that he was a better driver than Barrichello. (And even then, did his engineers get a bigger budget/first pick etc?)

[Nic]

Schumacher had a big hand in the great strides Ferrari made since he joined them in the mid nineties. Back then they simply couldn't finish a race. Between him and Ross Brawn, they dragged the team from the doledrums right to the top where they remained invincible for quite a number of years...

Although now we're seeing just how important Brawn was in that equation, Schumacher wasn't just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. His pace, fitness, dedication, win-at-all-costs mentality and sheer passion for the sport continues to be an inspiration to the new generation of drivers.

Plus I loved the fact he blatantly cheated, and continued to find new ways of cheating! We need more fun in F1.

[D2Kvirus]

Is Top Gear some kind of F1 good luck charm?

Jenson Button won his first ever GP a couple of weeks after appearing on it a couple of years back, and a few weeks ago Schumacher was on it and now making a return to F1.

[Gunnar Brian]

Generally a stupid idea to let the German in, still think they should have written off the rest of the season completely and brought in one of the rookies they have and let the kid get a feel for the competition ready for when they get a chance to debut.

On the Massa front, "It was incredible to see such a fantastic improvement after just three days," said Domenicali, who was also upbeat on Massa's chances of returning to F1.

"As soon as he is back, that is his car," he added

which has to be good news for Massa, knowing that everyone is optemistic about his chances of returning.

[D2Kvirus]

Looks like Schumacher has changed his mind about returning or, to be more accurate, isn't medically cleared to return - he's still recovering from a neck injury he picked up in a motorbike accident in February.

Looks like they might have to get The Stig for real this time...

[Gunnar Brian]

Or to be even more accurate, he wasn't allowed time to play and has to abide by the same rules as everyone else. I would put money on it that if Ferrari got the unfair testing time, Schuey would have started the GP.