Felipe Massa continued to show improvements in his condition on Tuesday, and Ferrari officials expressed hope that he could eventually return to Formula One.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali and his predecessor Jean Todt visited Massa and his family in the hospital, where the Brazilian driver is recuperating from surgery on multiple skull fractures following a high-speed crash.
Domenicali said Massa’s recovery would be a “step by step” process but sounded optimistic about the Brazilian’s chances of returning to the track.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“As soon as he will be back, that is his car,” Domenicali said outside the hospital. “For me it was incredible to see a fantastic improvement after just three days.”
Doctors said on Monday that Massa could be released as early as next week.
Asked if Massa would be back racing, a visibly emotional Todt replied: “At the moment, it is important that he is back to life.”
“After such an accident, it’s a relief that things are hopefully going in the right direction,” he said.
Massa’s family doctor, Dino Altman, on Tuesday described the racer as “more alert than he was before” and “improving continuously,” adding that Massa was answering questions in three languages.
Altman also addressed what is considered one of the most crucial issues with Massa’s health — vision in his left eye, which was injured in the accident.
“Yes, he can see with his left eye,” Altman said. “He knows what’s right and left so his left eye has no problems. His eyesight is OK.”
Doctors said Massa was awake and breathing unassisted, able to move his limbs and having brief conversations with family members and the medical staff.
Peter Bazso, medical director of the AEK hospital, said his condition could still deteriorate again, but that “naturally, this risk is diminishing day by day.”
Bazso added that it was possible to fully recover from injuries like those suffered by Massa.
“I expect him to leave the hospital on his own two feet,” Bazso said. “I don’t rule out [Massa] leaving within 10 days.”
The 28-year-old Brazilian driver was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car and crashed into a protective tire barrier at 190kph during qualifying on Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, is investigating the accident. Todt is a candidate to become president of the FIA when Max Mosley steps down in October.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
UP IN SMOKE: More than half a dozen riders crashed out of the race, with Marquez’s title chances in doubt after driving off the track with flames flickering from his bike Jorge Martin yesterday won a crash-filled Indonesia MotoGP to extend his championship lead, while closest rival Francesco Bagnaia limited the damage by claiming the final podium place. The win leaves the Pramac Racing rider 21 points ahead of his Italian Ducati rival, who finished third behind Spaniard Pedro Acosta in sweltering conditions at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Lombok island. In front of a crowd of 60,000 in motorbike-mad Indonesia, the 26-year-old put his tumble in Saturday’s sprint behind him, canceling out the gains his title rival Bagnaia made after securing victory in that race. “Thank you Indonesia. I am very happy.
RSS