08/10/2009
NEWS STORY
Taking part in a live chat on Ferrari's official website, Felipe Massa admitted that it is unlikely he will take part in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix later this month.
Following a couple of days on the team's simulator and ahead of next week's outing in the F2007, the Brazilian spent time on the team's website taking part in a live chat and answering the many 'get well soon' messages sent in by fans.
Asked if he might be back racing before the end of the season, Massa responded: "I hope that I'll be back soon, but I also know that the best thing is that I'm coming back 100% at the start of the next season. My dream would be to race in Abu Dhabi, but the possibility is really, really low."
With the Brazilian Grand Prix coming up next week, the 28-year-old revealed that he has been invited to wave the chequered flag at the end of the race. "It's true. I can confirm it," he said. "It will be a great honour for me."
Many of those taking part in the chat wanted to know about the incident that almost ended his career, and though the Brazilian remembers little of the actual moment the spring from Rubens Barrichello's car hit him causing him to crash, Massa admitted he had been a very lucky man.
"Obviously modern technology helped me a lot. The fact that we have carbon fibre helmets makes the difference. If this accident had happened many years ago, the outcome would have been very different.
"We're working together with the FIA and the helmet manufacturers to improve safety," he added. "The helmet from Budapest? I'll have it in my house together with the others, it's part of my life."
Asked if he was ever in pain, he responded: "Fortunately no, not even when I woke up in Budapest. Obviously medicine helped me a lot, but all in all, I didn't have any problems." Asked about his eyesight he replied: "It's perfect, 100%."
"I never had that thought," was the response when asked if he had considered retirement. "A couple of days after the accident my life was as it was before, the only worry was my eye, but then everything was ok. I never had any doubts."
The Brazilian admitted that a major factor in his recovery process is his wife Raffaela. "She helps me a lot these days. Obviously I was afraid and very worried, but she knows that I love racing and that's why she helps me where she can. Only once she asked me if I wanted to stop, but I told her that I don't and she understood. She asked me if there was at least a possibility of 1%, and I told her that there were not even 0,5%!"
Looking ahead to next season, when he will be joined by two-time champion Fernando Alonso, he said: "I'm sure that with Alonso we'll form a great team and we'll work together very well. The goal will be very simple: winning, I saw the model of the new car in the wind tunnel: it's different from the actual one, also because there will be new rules. Let's hope it will be fast!"
"I'd like to stay at Ferrari" he added, looking beyond 2010. "I'm very happy here and I don't see why I should change. I hope to remain here for many years. For me this is a family. During the races I saw on TV I shouted for the team and I was always in contact with them."
Asked who his preferred choice for the 2009 Drivers' Championship is, the Brazilian's response was almost instantaneous: "Well, obviously Rubens!"