Ferrari’s Massa in induced coma following emergency surgery

BUDAPEST - Brazlian and Ferrari Formula One racer Felipe Massa was in a coma in a Budapest hospital after undergoing emergency surgery for head injuries sustained during qualifying for Saturday afternoon’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Massa was airlifted to the hospital after the crash. According to The Telegraph, doctors took the decision to induce the 28-year-old racing champion into coma after he had been struck on the helmet by a piece of debris from the back of Rubens Barrichello’s car as he was travelling at around 170 m p h at the Hungaroring.

The Brazilian careered straight into a tyre wall and was airlifted to the AEK hospital in Budapest, conscious but with a severe gash above his left eye.

He had sustained a fractured skull and concussion for which doctors immediately performed surgery.

Ferrari released a statement saying: “The outcome of the procedure was positive.Now Felipe will remain under observation in intensive care.”

The team added that they would issue an update on his condition.

The hospital’s medical director Peter Bazso had earlier caused alarm when he announced that Massa’s condition was “life-threatening”.

Ferrari denied this and FIA doctor Gary Hartstein moved swiftly to allay fears by explaining that he would be taken out of the coma prior to a brain scan at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Massa’s wife, Rafaela, who is five months pregnant with their first child, and his parents Luiz Antonio and Ana Elena were flying from Brazil to Hungary to be by his side on Saturday night with his personal doctor Dino Altmann.

The incident comes less than a week after Henry Surtees suffered a fatal accident after being hit by a loose wheel in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch.

The accident completely overshadowed a chaotic session in which championship leader Jenson Button’s title chances suffered a further blow as he could only qualify his Brawn in eighth position.

Fernando Alonso took pole position. Sebastien Vettel is second on the grid. (ANI)