Formula 1- Michael Schumacher to take Massa’s place with Ferrari
By Audrey Nolan
Ferrari announced on Wednesday that Michael Schumacher will return to Formula 1 racing to replace Felipe Massa, who had an accident last weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Schumacher will act as a replacement until Massa is able to compete again; doctors have said that the Brazilian will be out of competition for the rest of the season.
The next Formula 1 competition this season is the European Grand Prix, which is held in Valencia, Spain. The Ferrari team emphasized that it will have a special training camp in the upcoming days with Schumacher, to see whether the German is in shape to compete in Valencia.
There are still six races left besides the European Grand Prix.
Michael Schumacher, now 40 years old, retired back in 2006. According to Formula 1, he is statistically the best driver. He started with the Benetton team, with which he won two titles before he moved to Scuderia Ferrari in 1996. With Ferrari, Schumacher won five drivers titles from 2000 to 2004. He also broke a series of records, including most driver’s championships, most race victories, fastest laps, most pole positions, most points scored, and most races won in a single season. He had 91 victories of 250 races and he is still a Ferrari consultant.
After retiring from Formula 1, he would occasionally participate in a motorcycling series, although he has not done so since a crash in February in which he was injured.
“Though it is true that the Formula One chapter has long been closed for me, it is also true that for team loyalty reasons I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation,” the 40-year-old said. “But as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge.”
On Wednesday, Massa took his first steps since his accident on Sunday; he also left the intensive care unit from the AEK Hospital in Budapest. His father, Luiz Antonio, said that even though Felipe can sit up and speak a few words, he cannot remember the accident. Antonio also said that he expects Felipe to be transferred to a Paris hospital no later than Thursday, but the doctors at the Budapest Hospital do not recommend the transfer until next Sunday.
The Brazilian driver was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car, provoking a crash against a tire barrier while he was going 120 mph. After the accident he was taken to the hospital, where tests revealed that he had suffered a concussion and a few skull fractures. Massa was induced into a coma and woken on Wednesday.
The family doctor, Dino Altman, and Felipe’s personal friend, Popo Bueno, said that Felipe remembered some parts of the qualifying race and was surprised that Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian GP. Felipe also said that the race was his race, and that he wants to go back to racing as soon as possible. Everything will depend on his recovery, however; doctors will say whether he can return to racing this year or next.
About the Author
Audrey Nolan is a high-ranking writer on Formula 1 for the sports betting industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its whole on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.