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Felipe Massa will not return to F1 until 2010
Brazilian driver’s dreams of a comeback at his home Grand Prix are dashed as his team continue the hunt for a reliable replacement
Formula One driver Felipe Massa's somewhat optimistic hopes for a return to the sport at the Brazilian Grand Prix have been dashed. His Ferrari team say he will not be ready to race again until the start of next season in March - and their hunt for a replacement driver continues.
Massa, who suffered life threatening injuries when he was hit in the head by a spring at Hungarian Grand Prix while travelling at 160mph during qualifying, is to undergo more surgery and has yet to return to training after the accident.
The driver has begun his rehabilitation and underwent neurological and vision tests at the Jackson memorial hospital in Miami with leading motorsport neurosurgeon Steve Olvey on Monday.
He will have plastic surgery later this week and has no chance of being ready for the race in Brazil on October 18 - although he had privately hoped for an emotional return in front of his home crowd.
"After the small surgery that I will have done in the next few days, I can finally start working out a little in the gym to get back in form, and then I can start some kart training," said the Brazilian.
"When will I be back on a Formula 1 track? Let's take one step at a time. Right now I'm just focused on starting physical activity again, which is already a big step forward."
The news leaves Ferrari still looking for a replacement driver for the five remaining Grand Prix this season.
Michael Schumacher was in pole position to take over after Massa's accident, but a neck injury ruled him out, and the team turned to test driver Lucas Badoer as a short term replacement. However his performances have been well below par. The next race is at Monza and Ferrari's home fans will not stand to see Badoer start from the back of the grid as he did at the European and Belgian Grand Prix - forcing them to look for another replacement.
They had hoped to poach Force India's Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella but his stellar performance at Spa - where he came from nowhere to take pole position and second in the race - plus a row over money appear to have scuppered that deal. Ferrari are apparently refusing to write off debts owed to them by Force India in return for their driver.
The latest name to be linked to the Italian outfit is that of Robert Kubica, currently driving for BMW, which has announced it is leaving F1 at the end of the season. ·
