-
Felipe Massa - Source: Reuters -
Related
Ferrari's Felipe Massa is recovering well but should not rush back to Formula One after his serious head injury, according to friend and fellow-Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.
Massa, who fractured his skull after being hit on the head by a spring that fell off Barrichello's car in Hungary last month, has said he would like to be back in the cockpit for his home race at Interlagos in October.
Barrichello, who visited the recuperating Massa in Brazil over the summer break, suggested that might not be possible or advisable.
"From a friend's point of view, he is ready to race. He has some stitches on his head, but he is ready to race," Barrichello told reporters at the European Grand Prix.
"But from a medical point of view I think he has to stay calm and wait for that answer.
"I would not hurry up to get back. He has a safe place at Ferrari ... I want to see the same Felipe driving when he comes back," he added.
"With all the X-rays that he showed me, there is some good recovery to make. His memory and capacity is intact but he cannot exercise still, so it will take a little while before he can do that."
Barrichello, fastest in Saturday's practice in Valencia, said Massa was likely to spend some time in go-karts before returning to Formula One and time was probably against him for this season.
"I hope he is back in Brazil, but I don't know," he said.
The Brazilian said his first proper conversation with Massa, last year's winner in Valencia, after the Ferrari driver's return to Brazil had been an emotional occasion.
"I was in Orlando, in the park. My phone rang and I missed the call. It said: 'Massinha' - how I call him 'Little Massa' -- and I thought maybe it was his brother. I called the number back and he answered.
"For me it was kind of emotional ... I was apprehensive and I felt so good when he called me, and it was such a relief.
"That was emotional I can tell you. My kids were there all playing but I left them for 20 minutes and came back - for me it was a good relief. I felt good after that."
