Massa SEVERELY injured in qualifying....

[NAKID]

Did anybody see this?

http://formulaone.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/strange-qualifying-in-budapest/

July 25, 2009, 9:52 am
Massa Injured in Qualifying in Budapest
By Brad Spurgeon

Update | 12:19 p.m.

Ferrari team said in a statement on Sunday morning that, “Massa’s condition remains stable and there were no further complications through the night. He will be given another CT scan today, which will provide more precise information.”

Update | 7:02 p.m.

Speaking to reporters a few minutes ago, Ross Brawn said that it was only a spring weighing about 700 to 800 grams that had flown off the car into Massa’s helmet. He credited improvement in helmet technology in recent years for ensuring that the injury was not worse. He said that Formula One will certainly study to see if there is anything to do to reduce the risk against drivers in this sort of accident - and the one that killed Henry Surtees - and he suggested putting canopies on the cars was doable. But he also said they must not react in a way that makes things worse - ie, knee jerk reactions.

Update | 6:09 p.m.

Ferrari has just released a statement on Felipe Massa’s condition:

“After the accident during the qualifying session of the Grand Prix of Hungary, Felipe Massa was airlifted to the AEK Hospital in Budapest. Felipe was conscious at the arrival at the hospital and his general conditions remain stable. Following a complete medical examination it emerged that he had suffered a cut on his forehead, a bone damage of his skull and a brain concussion. These conditions need to be operated on after which he will remain under observation in intensive care.”

As I said I would update things further, I can say that the piece of debris was a damper and part of the suspension that had broken off from Rubens Barrichello’s car a few seconds earlier.

Several of the drivers have now been queried about the fact of this accident coming only a week after the accident involving Henry Surtees. Both Barrichello and Lewis Hamilton said they do not believe this is a coincidence, and that there is a message being sent here and something has to be done to prepare for such accidents. Heikki Kovalainen said he thought it was entirely a freak event and how could it be prepared for. The GPDA will be discussing it, of course.

————

It was nice to be able to laugh at the end of the qualifying session today when the lap times disappeared from all screens around the circuit at the end of qualifying and no one - including the drivers - had any idea of who scored pole position.

“It was quite special,” said Vettel about trying to figure out who did the top times of the session. And indeed it was.

“I thought I wasn’t in the top three so I went to have a shower,” said Mark Webber, who had gone off to speak to reporters but should have been preparing to go to the press conference.

In the end, it was a surprise pole position by Fernando Alonso, with Vettel and Webber in second and third.

But I say it was nice to be able to laugh at this because at the end of the second session everyone had their thoughts and emotions fixated on the strange accident of Felipe Massa in his Ferrari. At first it was impossible to tell why Massa had apparently driven straight off the track into the tire barrier at top speed. But after the video from his car camera over his head was replayed time and again it became apparent that he had been struck by a piece of debris and this had caused him to go straight off the track.

I still do not know all the details at this point a few minutes after qualifying, but we know the essential. Felipe was flown to hospital in a helicopter, but we have been told that he is fine, despite having also apparently struck his head hard on the steering wheel in the impact against the tire barrier. We’ll know more soon.

For a while, though, a lot of people had the thought of Henry Surtees in mind as in less than a week it seemed a driver had been, against all the odds, struck by something on the head while traveling at high speed down the track. In Massa’s case it is still not clear what the debris was or whether it hit his helmet or simply the car.

Slightly graphic pic at THIS LINK

[superjohn]

Yeah, there's a thread in the racing section we've been talking about it. 2 inches lower and Filipe woulld be a LOT worse off than he is now.

Just reported that they took him out of the induced coma and he recognized family before they put him back under so that's good.

[IZ]

posted yesterday Derb!





http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=27272.0

[NAKID]

No wonder it didn't pop up when I searched, kopf misspelled his name...

[superjohn]

No wonder it didn't pop up when I searched, kopf misspelled his name...

Yeah, that's why I didn't derby it.

I hope he makes a fast and full recovery, though I think his season may be done. Gotta wonder if Shumacher may come out of retirement and whip the team into shape. Not to mention the long wished for Shumacher-Hamilton battles.

[IZ]

No wonder it didn't pop up when I searched, kopf misspelled his name...

Yeah..jarheads aren't known for their spelling skills.  If you want to know about kettlebell training though..

[NAKID]

Yeah, that's why I didn't derby it.

I hope he makes a fast and full recovery, though I think his season may be done. Gotta wonder if Shumacher may come out of retirement and whip the team into shape. Not to mention the long wished for Shumacher-Hamilton battles.

Fractured skull? I'll be surprised if he races again ever...

[ducpainter]

Yeah..jarheads aren't known for their spelling skills.  If you want to know about kettlebell training though..

I'd be careful about calling kopf a jarhead...

those army special forces guys take umbrage at that...

just sayin'

[NAKID]

Yeah, I was just gonna let that go and have him deal with it....

[IZ]

I'd be careful about calling kopf a jarhead...

those army special forces guys take umbrage at that...

just sayin'

Yeah, I know K wasn't a marine. 

[ducpainter]

It would be ugly...

if I let kopf deal with it.

[Grampa]

he's a ninja.... you'll know you pissed him off when you feel your head hit the floor

[Kopfjäger]

Yeah, I know K wasn't a marine. 

You were correct. I am a former Jarhead.
0311
0321
8541
Prior to SOF.

[ducpainter]

You were correct. I am a former Jarhead.
0311
0321
8541
Prior to SOF.

Say it ain't so.

[Kopfjäger]

For those living in a basement. 


http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=91e6480f-5ce8-4459-bd48-aa83074e5e67&From=MSNHP&FG=FOX_Pipe