Autoblog

VIDEO: Montezemolo beaches Ferrari California at own World Finals in Valencia

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Europe, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

Last week, we all watched in collective awe as a $1.8 million Bugatti Veyron drove into a pond. While the driver claimed that he was attacked by a pelican, close examination of the video would appear to reveal... no pelican whatsoever. Instead, there's just a supercar inexplicably jumping into a marsh. Today, we've got another head scratcher for you - Luca Montezemolo beaching a Ferrari California.

Luca and the stuck California were at the Ferrari World Finals in Valencia, Spain. The Ferrari and Fiat Chairman was ferrying the Scuderia's brand-new F1 driver Fernando Alonso (who is technically still under contract with Renault) and carryover driver Felipe Massa around the track, waving to the fans. Then - for who knows what reason - Montezemolo decides to not bother with pit lane and just make a ninety degree right hander into a gravel trap. A gravel trap, it should be pointed out, that's used to catch and slow cars spinning out of control at triple digit speeds.

The result is the new Ferrari grand tourer getting stuck like whale. Montezemolo tries spinning the back tires a bit, which only digs them deeper, while Alonso and Massa attempt to push. Sooner than later, track workers show up and all three men escape to safety seated on the back of a blue California. Watch a few different videos of the ordeal, after the jump.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Continue reading VIDEO: Montezemolo beaches Ferrari California at own World Finals in Valencia

VIDEO: Montezemolo beaches Ferrari California at own World Finals in Valencia originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Massa charges that Alonso knew about Piquet crash plan

Noah Joseph — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

From his brief tenure at McLaren, we know that Fernando Alonso has a bit of trouble getting along with his teammates. Especially when he doesn't get the clear preferential treatment as the team's #1 driver. After all, as has often been said, a driver's teammate is his chief rival. So after Ferrari confirmed that Alonso and Felipe Massa would be put on equal footing, we smelled some trouble a-brewin'. But we didn't expect it to start at least until the beginning of next season. Turns out, that was a bit premature, as some cracks in the relationship between the two teammates-to-be have already started to show.

Speaking with a group of journalists in his native Brazil where the F1 circus is preparing for this weekend's grand prix, Felipe Massa said with "absolute certainty" that Alonso knew about the plan to have wingman Nelson Piquet crash to hand him the controversial victory. That's a pretty hefty charge levied by his future teammate, and Ferrari naturally scrambled to issue a clarification (which you can read after the jump) but you can't take back what's already been said.

Massa was suitably - and vocally - upset when the Crashgate story broke, because without Alonso's ill-earned victory, Massa would have won the championship last year, instead of losing to Lewis Hamilton by one point at the last corner of the last lap of the last race of the season. Better luck next year, gents.

[Sources: Autosport; Ferrari | Image: Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading REPORT: Massa charges that Alonso knew about Piquet crash plan

REPORT: Massa charges that Alonso knew about Piquet crash plan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa comes home to Maranello, meets the new 458 Italia, laps Fiorano, smiles for fans [w/VIDEO]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari

Felipe Massa's homecoming - Click above to watch the video after the jump

It doesn't seem like it's been that long, but for Felipe Massa, it must feel like it's been an eternity since he's been up to speed. The Brazilian Formula One driver hasn't been at work since July when he suffered a major blow to the head from some flying debris at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

A lot has happened since then: his mentor and former team-mate Michael Schumacher prepared for a comeback and then had to cancel it due to health concerns of his own, the Scuderia promoted test driver Luca Badoer for a couple of races before sending him home, and then Maranello hired Giancarlo Fisichella to fill in and stay on as a reserve driver for the future. Then they picked up Fernando Alonso to be Massa's wingman next year, and somewhere in the middle of it all, Ferrari launched its first all-new mid-engine production car in a decade. (Not to mention the new engine chief they hired, the senior executive they lost or the new designer who is said to be taking over).

Now, after his prolonged absence, Massa has returned home to Maranello for the first time since the crash. He got some practice time in the simulator before hitting the track in a privately-owned, retired F2007 with GP2 tires to reacquaint himself with his craft. And while he was at it, he stopped by the production line to check out the new 458 Italia. Check out his experience in the (tragically silent) video after the jump and in the first gallery below, and view shots from Felipe's session around Fiorano in the F2007 in the secondary gallery.

Gallery: Felipe Massa meets the Ferrari 458 Italia

Gallery: Felipe Massa back on track in F2007

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Felipe Massa comes home to Maranello, meets the new 458 Italia, laps Fiorano, smiles for fans [w/VIDEO]

Felipe Massa comes home to Maranello, meets the new 458 Italia, laps Fiorano, smiles for fans [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa could reportedly be back on track by Monday

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Ferrari just announced that injured driver Felipe Massa could be back in the saddle as early as Monday. Massa hasn't been in an F1 car since July's Hungarian Grand Prix, when a spring from another car flew up and hit him above his eye, fracturing his skull.

The first time he has even been back on track was last week when he took the wheel of a kart. Because of testing bans in place this season in F1, Massa can't drive the current car he was running until Hungary. As he gets back up to speed, the FIA has granted him permission to drive a 2007-spec car fitted with GP2 tires.

Massa has also spent time on Ferrari's racing simulator. Word has it he's already mastered Barcelona and is working hard at beating the Interlagos circuit now. Before taking the wheel of the 2007 car, he still needs to pass an examination, but once he's cleared, he could be on track in Italy by Monday. This will be testing only as the driver isn't expected to compete for Ferrari any more this season.

[Source: Formula 1]

Felipe Massa could reportedly be back on track by Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

If you thought the series of driver changes in the middle of this ongoing Formula One season was something, it's nothing compared to the grand game of musical chairs expected to ensue as the season draws to a close. With BMW closing up shop, several new teams joining the grid and at least a couple of former world champions switching teams for next year's championship, we're shaping up for the biggest jumble the F1 circus has seen in years. Follow the jump to see how it's unfolding so far.

[Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Continue reading End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Giancarlo Fisichella, meet your new Ferrari race seat

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

First thing this morning, no one knew who'd be replacing Luca Badoer in the second Ferrari alongside Kimi Raikkonen - in addition to Williams test driver Nico Hulkenberg and former Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais, the likes of current BMW driver Robert Kubica had been mentioned. Force India driver Giancarlo Fisichella's name has also been persistently mooted, but the scuttlebutt was consistently shot down by team principal Vijay Mallya.

Ah, Formula One. No sooner had Mallya quashed the rumor again that he then turned around and announced that Fisichella was indeed let go to Ferrari. This gives Fisi the race seat for the rest of the year and, according to Mallya, "will secure Giancarlo's long-term future with Ferrari." We have no idea what that could mean for 2010, since Ferrari already has Raikkonen and Massa, and supposedly Alonso to deal with currently.

Financial terms weren't announced, but it is suspected that in return for letting Fisichella go Ferrari forgave Force India's €4 million bill owed the Scuderia for the engine contract that the Indian team terminated last year. While Fisi gets five races to prove his worth in one of the best cars on the grid, now we get to wonder who will be Adrian Sutil's new teammate. Hat tip to everyone!

[Source: F1 Live | Image: John Thys/Getty]

REPORT: Giancarlo Fisichella, meet your new Ferrari race seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari weighs its options with Massa reportedly not expected back this season

Noah Joseph — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

When Felipe Massa was taken out of commission at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month, the questions on everyone's mind was who would replace him and when he'd be back. With regards to the former, Ferrari is one of the few teams on the grid that doesn't have a junior driver development program in place. The team doesn't usually have a problem getting the best drivers, but when disaster (literally) struck, the Scuderia was left without options.

Michael Schumacher prepared to come out of retirement to fill his prodigy's seat, but his own lingering physical issues prevented that, leaving Ferrari with little choice than to promote one of its aging test drivers - finally opting for Luca Badoer after his ten-year hiatus from active racing instead of its other test driver, recent Le Mans winner Marc Gene - with less than satisfactory results. After finishing just about dead last in both of the races he's contested so far, Ferrari has admitted that it's looking at other options for the rest of the season. Giancarlo Fisichella is said to be one possible Ferrari driver and could stay on in the long term to replace Badoer as test driver as well. Robert Kubica is being touted as another, while still more reports suggest that Fernando Alonso could bolt from Renault a bit early and take up residence with Ferrari.

If these rumors seemed at first a little odd with Massa first rumored to return by the upcoming Italian Grand Prix and then readjusted to the subsequent Brazilian Grand Prix - the home races for the team and driver respectively - it now looks like Felipe won't be back this season at all. After undergoing tests at the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Massa is scheduled to undergo plastic surgery to repair a fractured section of skull resulting from the incident in Hungary. Tellingly, Ferrari says they're looking forward to Massa's return for the start of next season.

That's all in the short term, however, and Ferrari is keen to avoid such strategic mistakes in the future. Accidents happen, and the team needs to be prepared, so its looking into setting up a junior driver development program that would give them access to a pool of emerging talent for the future.

[Source: Ferrari via Autosport; F1-Live]

Continue reading Ferrari weighs its options with Massa reportedly not expected back this season

Ferrari weighs its options with Massa reportedly not expected back this season originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari to sign Fisichella to replace Badoer?

Noah Joseph — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

Ferrari has had plenty of time to get its hands on Giancarlo Fisichella. The Italian driver has been on the grid since 1995 when he started as a test driver for Minardi, and later driving for Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault and now Force India. But the Scuderia wasn't interested. Not until its fortunes were down, and Fisico's were up.

The 36-year-old driver pulled off a shocking command performance at this past weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, grabbing pole position and a relentless second place behind Ferrari's own Kimi Raikkonen. All the while, Ferrari itself has been struggling with its veteran test driver Luca Badoer, who has been suffering from a difficult time readjusting to the competition. The team's test driver, promoted to the race seat after ten years of developmental duties when Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher were both knocked out of commission by head-eye injuries (as has now been revealed), has finished the two races he started so far in 17th and 14th positions. Ferrari is plainly disappointed and embarrassed, but with no junior driver in place for a rainy day, Maranello has been left with little choice.

For his part, Ferrari's outspoken former triple world champion Niki Lauda has called on the team to poach Fisichella from Force India, which is experiencing financial troubles and would surely take the money and run. One way or another, Fisichella's in for a hero's welcome at his home race at Monza into two weeks. And Ferrari will have an experienced Italian driver behind the wheel for the Italian Grand Prix. Exactly which one that will be, however, remains to be seen.

[Source: F1-Live | Image: Fred DuFour/AFP/Getty]

Ferrari to sign Fisichella to replace Badoer? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F1 Updates: BMW seeks new buyer, FIA re-opens selection process, Renault granted appeal, etc.

Noah Joseph — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, BMW, Ferrari, Renault

It's anything but business as usual this year in Formula One, and this past week has been no exception, with one team scrambling to secure its future, another receiving the go-ahead to continue racing, and others re-submitting applications in the hope of joining the grid for next year.

First up is BMW, which announced it would be withdrawing its support from the Sauber team at the end of this year. After the team's eponymous founder failed to put the cash together to buy his team back from the Bavarians, the outfit is going ahead with its program to launch successive updates to its current car for Valencia this coming weekend and Singapore later this season in to demonstrate its capabilities in the hope of finding a new buyer before the season's out.

The FIA isn't holding its breath, however, and has informed seven outfits that submitted so-far unsuccessful bids to participate in F1 next season that there'll be another spot opening up on the grid for next year. In addition to BMW Sauber, reports suggest that Epsilon Euskadi and Prodrive are vying for the spot.

Meanwhile the Renault team has been given the green light to race at Valencia after successfully appealing the ban imposed on the team at the last grand prix for a loose wheel nut. The team will have to pay a $50,000 fine, whiole newcomer Romain Grosjean is confirmed to replace Nelsinho Piquet and partner Fernando Alonso.

As for Felipe Massa, the injured Ferrari driver currently recovering, the latest reports indicate that while he could be ready as soon as the Italian Grand Prix - the home race for his team - he'll more likely wait until the later race in his home country of Brazil to make his comeback.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty]

F1 Updates: BMW seeks new buyer, FIA re-opens selection process, Renault granted appeal, etc. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massa to return for Italian Grand Prix in early September?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

Luca Badoer is gearing up for his first grand prix in ten years. The veteran Ferrari test driver (who got the nod to fill in for the injured Felipe Massa after plans for Michael Schumacher's temporary return were put on hold) will get to test the Ferrari F60 which he helped develop before the upcoming European Grand Prix in Valencia after all, as Ferrari gets permission to run some "demonstration laps" around its own Fiorano circuit. But according to the latest reports, Badoer shouldn't get too comfortable in that cramped cockpit as Massa may be back sooner than expected.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali visited the downed Brazilian pilot and was encouraged by his progress, prompting reports in the Italian press that Massa could make a sensational return in time for the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza at the beginning of September. Massa would need to pass a medical exam at the FIA headquarters in Paris before getting the green light to race again, and may need to wear extra protective gear. In the meantime, Domenicali insists that everyone be patient while Massa recovers.

[Source: F1-Live | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]

Massa to return for Italian Grand Prix in early September? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Schu to Fill: Ferrari's Luca Badoer hasn't raced in ten years, never scored a point

Noah Joseph — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

With Michael Schumacher now confirmed to have canceled his comeback due to a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident, Ferrari has been left with no choice but to put one of its veteran test drivers into Felipe Massa's seat until the injured Brazilian is ready to return to active duty. The trouble is that while other teams use the test driver position to groom up-and-coming drivers for the race seat, Ferrari's approach has been to use older, more experienced drivers past their prime.

Rather than give the seat to Marc Gené, who continues to race actively for Peugeot at Le Mans and last raced in a grand prix in 2004, Ferrari has decided to award the seat to Luca Badoer, its senior test driver. While testing the Ferrari California last summer, we had a chance to talk with Badoer on his way to the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix and found him to be a good-natured and affable individual. Still, while his development skills are unrivaled, his actual Formula One race experience leaves something to be desired.

It's been ten years since Badoer last started a race - the longest gap in F1 history - and he rejoins the field as the oldest driver on the grid, narrowly eclipsing his former team-mate Rubens Barrichello at 38. Although he moved to F1 after winning the Formula 3000 title in 1992, in his four seasons and 48 grands prix in the big league (all with Italian teams, incidentally), he failed to score a single point (let alone a race win) and famously broke down in tears alongside his car after it failed to take him to a fourth-place finish at the 1999 European Grand Prix. Ten years later, he's looking to improve his record, and we'll be watching to see how he does. Follow the jump for the official press release.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Big Schu to Fill: Ferrari's Luca Badoer hasn't raced in ten years, never scored a point

Big Schu to Fill: Ferrari's Luca Badoer hasn't raced in ten years, never scored a point originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Statement on Ferrari website lashes out against Toro Rosso "indiscretion"

Noah Joseph — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Sour grapes much? Both of Italy's Formula One teams had to switch drivers mid-season during the year: Scuderia Toro Rosso (because Sebastien Bourdais wasn't working out) and Scuderia Ferrari (due to Felipe Massa injury). However, due to the comprehensive ban on in-season testing, neither could put their replacements into the cockpits of their F1 cars until the following grand prix weekend. So STR's newcomer Jaime Alguersuari was thrown straight into the deep end to sink or swim, while Ferrari, for its part, has been unable to give a returning Michael Schumacher any seat time in the new car. Not that the Maranello squad didn't try - their request for a one-time exemption was opposed by Williams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Now a message has appeared on the Ferrari website lashing out at the junior Toro Rosso team.

The statement calls out STR - which, it's worth noting, has used Ferrari customer engines for these past three seasons - as a "team that hasn't won anything for years and yet didn't pass over the opportunity to demonstrate once more a lack of spirit of fair play", while noting that Ferrari had given its consent for an exceptional test for Alguersuari. Ouch. (For the record, though, Toro Rosso won the Italian Grand Prix last year.) We would have to assume the message was somehow posted by a rogue with access to the Ferrari website, but that only begs the question as to why, several days later, it still hasn't been taken down. Follow the link to read the message in full on the Ferrari website.

[Source: Ferrari | Image: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty]

Statement on Ferrari website lashes out against Toro Rosso "indiscretion" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Schumacher to earn a tidy 1M Euros per race for return effort

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari, Celebrities

According to a report from German newspaper Die Tageszeitung, Michael Schumacher - already one of the richest athletes in the world - will earn a cool million Euros (that's $1.44M USD to us Yanks) for each race in which he's substituting for injured Ferrari factory driver Felipe Massa.

Schumacher stands to earn an extra million Euros for each race victory, which initially seems like an oversize bonus until you consider that wins have been in uncommonly short supply so far this year for the Italian race team. It's also expected that Ferrari will keep the German driver in his non-driving advisory role with an extension of his current five million Euro per year contract.

In related news, Schumacher won't be getting the chance to test the latest Ferrari F60 F1 chassis until the next scheduled practice session for the European Grand Prix. Ferrari had petitioned for an outside-the-rulebook exception to get Schumacher a bit of seat time in its current car but the request was reportedly denied by Williams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Suffice it to say that the Scuderia was not pleased.

[Source: Autocar, Ferrari | Image: BacardiLimited]

REPORT: Schumacher to earn a tidy 1M Euros per race for return effort originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa: "I'll be back on the track with Ferrari as soon as possible."

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:41:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

As expected, Felipe Massa has been transported back to his home country of Brazil following successful life-saving surgery at the AEK military hospital in Budapest. Speaking for the first time since being struck in the helmet by a loose spring during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, a very thankful Massa said:

I don't remember anything and that's why what the doctors did had to be explained to me... The last thing I remembered was when I was behind him at the end of my fast lap in Q2, and than it's blank. It's difficult to explain. I'm feeling much better now and I want to recover as soon as possible to get back behind the wheel of a Ferrari.

And what of Michael Schumacher keeping his seat warm for his hopeful return to racing for the 2010 season? Says the 28-year-old Brazilian Ferrari driver:

Michael doesn't need my advice! It was him who gave me many tips during my career when we were racing together. He knows how to win, he knows how to drive and he's great: it was the best choice handing over the car to such a fantastic person and I'm sure that everybody will be happy to see him back on the track again. Although I hope I'll be back on the track with Ferrari as soon as possible.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]

Felipe Massa: "I'll be back on the track with Ferrari as soon as possible." originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Massa to check out of hospital on Monday

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

More good news on the Felipe Massa front today as reports from AEK military hospital in Budapest indicate that the Brazilian driver will be flown back to his home country via private jet on Monday. Previously, it was expected that the Ferrari pilot, who suffered a fractured skull after a loose spring impacted his helmet in qualifying at the Hungarian GP, would be taken to Pitié Salpêtrière hospital in Paris for further treatment.

Massa's physician Dino Altmann, seen above answering questions from reporters, had positive things to say regarding the 28-year-old's recovery, denying that there was any damage to Massa's left eye. "In Brazil, he will continue his recovery and will go back into racing as soon as possible. I think this decision says all you need to know [about his condition]," he said. When told that Michael Schumacher was to take over his duties for the remainder of the 2009 F1 season, Massa quipped, "We'll see if I let him drive my car!"

Schumacher has just recently stepped back into a F1 car for testing, albeit one from the 2007 season. Current F1 rules preclude Schumacher from getting any seat time in the current F60 racer until the first official practice session for the European Grand Prix, slated to run the third week in August in Valencia, Spain. Schumacher has won this particular race a total of six times, most recently in 2006.

[Source: ITV | Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty]

REPORT: Massa to check out of hospital on Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Massa has no long-term injury, will likely race again

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Felipe Massa's personal doctor has given the racer the best prognosis yet, saying "He doesn't seem to have a long-term injury," and that Massa hasn't suffered any eye damage. After the Brazilian's 170 mph (275 kph) impact with a flying spring that came off Rubens Barrichello's car during qualifying for the Hungarian GP, doctors were worried about keeping Massa alive, nevermind racing.

Now he is scheduled to leave intensive care today, and could leave the hospital in less than ten days. After that, he is expected to go to Paris for further treatment, and then to Monaco or Sao Paulo. Although it looks likely that Massa will race again, doctors have suggested it won't be this year. In the meantime, Michael Schumacher will emerge from retirement to take his place on Ferrari's F1 team.

[Source: EuroSport]

REPORT: Massa has no long-term injury, will likely race again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Schumacher to return to Ferrari F1 for remainder of season

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Yesterday's rumors have been confirmed: Michael Schumacher will take Felipe Massa's place for the remainder of the 2009 Formula One season.

A Ferrari spokesperson said Schumi's return hinges on the seven-time F1 champion's ability to pass the FIA's physical (we doubt that'll be a problem) and he'll be back in full-force on August 23 at the European Grand Prix in Valencia.

Schumacher has been under the employ of Ferrari as an advisor to the team since his retirement in 2006, and although Massa is reportedly well on his way to recovering after sustaining a serious head injury at last weekend's race, Schumacher will take his place for the remaining seven races of the 2009 season.

[Source: BBC Sport]

BREAKING: Schumacher to return to Ferrari F1 for remainder of season originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Schumacher come out of retirement to replace Massa?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Celebrities, Rumormill

Could Michael Schumacher pull a Lance Armstrong and unretire back to the sport he so dearly loves and was almost impossibly successful at? If reports coming out of Formula One-obsessed European media outlets are to believed, the 40-year-old, seven-time F1 Driver's Championship winner is in the running as a possible replacement for Felipe Massa, who suffered a life-threatening head injury during the qualifying sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix. According to Luca Colajanni, a spokesperson for the Italian racing team:

We have said before that it is possible that Michael Schumacher could return to help us out... We have two test drivers at Ferrari (Luca Badoer and Marc Gene) at the moment and Michael is an advisor. We have not spoken to him, but it is possible that this might happen. But we will have to wait and see what happens. It is something for (Ferrari team principal) Stefano Domenicali to consider over the coming weeks.

Even under the best-case scenarios, Massa will undoubtedly miss the European and Belgian Grands Prix, after which a four-week racing hiatus will allow Ferrari additional time to assess its numerous options. Sabine Kehm, a spokesperson for Schumacher, hasn't ruled out the possibility that Schumi could make a short-term return:

It's really up to Ferrari. They must first decide what they want to do. And if they decide to ask Michael, they would then talk to him and he would think about it. But the decision could be just as well negative.

Further complicating the issue are some concerns over Shumacher's physical health following an apparent motorcycle crash back in February. Regardless of whom Ferrari chooses to put in the newly-vacated driver's seat, we join Schumacher himself in again wishing Felipe Massa a speedy and full recovery.

[Sources: The Press Association, USA Today | Image: BacardiLimited]

Could Schumacher come out of retirement to replace Massa? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORTS: Massa recovering but may never race again, Renault suspended for safety infraction [UPDATE]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Renault

In a development mirroring countless racing movies, Felipe Massa's doctors say that the injured driver is showing progress in his recovery, but that he may never race again. The Brazilian pilot, who narrowly missed winning the title last year, was knocked unconscious on Saturday by a loose component off the car of fellow countryman Rubens Barrichello - who coincidentally used to hold Massa's seat at Ferrari - and taken to the hospital in Budapest. Although Massa's injuries are no longer considered life-threatening and he was reportedly able to move limbs according to doctors' instructions, severe damage to his left eye could spell the end of his career.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo visited Massa at the hospital together with team principal Stefano Domenicali, who will stay with Massa's family - including his pregnant wife - another day while doctors determine how much longer he should stay at the Hungarian military facility before being moved closer to home. While Felipe's projected recovery time remains unclear at this point, it looks like he will be out for at least the rest of the season, meaning that the Scuderia will need to find someone suitable to fill his seat. The last time Ferrari had to temporarily replace an injured driver was ten years ago when Michael Schumacher broke his leg at Silverstone. The team then elected to bring in Mika Salo, who supported team-mate Eddie Irvine in securing the constructors' championship for the team, rather than promoting one of its veteran test drivers.

Massa's injuries follow hot on the heels of the Henry Surtees incident that saw the son of former world champion John Surtees killed in a Formula 2 race a week ago, throwing the FIA into action to prevent further incidents. The Renault team was handed a one-race suspension as a penalty for a stray wheel that broke loose from Fernando Alonso's F1 car on Sunday and bounced dangerously down the track on the thirteenth lap of this past weekend's race. The FIA ruled that the team should have alerted its driver to the improperly secured wheel nut, and will subsequently have to sit out the upcoming European Grand Prix at Valencia, considered a home race for the penalized two-time world champion.

UPDATE: We've added a gallery of images taken during and after the incident, though should warn you that the gallery includes a shot of Massa after the accident occurred. It is not for the faint of heart, so don't look if you can't stomach seeing injuries well.

Gallery: Felipe Massa crash at Hungarian GP

[Sources: Boston Globe and New York Times | Image: MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty]

REPORTS: Massa recovering but may never race again, Renault suspended for safety infraction [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Felipe Massa's skull fractured by track debris during Hungarian GP qualifying [UPDATE]

Alex Nunez — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Yesderday during Formula 1 qualifying in Hungary, Ferrari's Felipe Massa suffered a life-threatening head injury when a spring from Reubens Barrichello's car struck him in the helmet. As you'll see in the ESPN video posted after the jump, the impact appears to knock the Brazilian unconscious; immediately after the incident, his car simply drives straight into the runoff area and tire wall.

Massa was reportedly conscious when he arrived at the hospital, where he received a CT scan and underwent successful surgery to treat two skull fractures suffered as a result of the accident. He was placed into an induced coma immediately following the procedure and remains in intensive care. Doctors talking to the BBC described his condition as stable and said there were no complications following the operation. Another brain scan will be performed on Massa later today, after which the medical team will update his condition. Massa's injury comes on the heels of Henry Surtees' death last weekend, the result of the young driver being struck in the head by a flying tire. Massa's on-track incident left some F1 personnel openly wondering whether it's time to make changes that improve cockpit safety for drivers. Fortunately, things appear to be progressing well for Massa, and we wish him a speedy and full recovery. Follow the jump for ESPN's video report on the incident, which includes the on-car-camera view of what happened.

UPDATE: Click here for the latest update on Massa's condition, his future in racing and consequences for Renault.

[Sources: Sky News, Formula1.com, The New York Times | Video: ESPN | Image: Paul Gilham/Getty Images]

Continue reading Felipe Massa's skull fractured by track debris during Hungarian GP qualifying [UPDATE]

Felipe Massa's skull fractured by track debris during Hungarian GP qualifying [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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