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Massa heads home to Brazil

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(L-R) Spain's Fernando Alonso, England's Lewis Hamilton, and Brazil's Felipe Massa join together on the podium as the top three finishers of the United States Formula One at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on Sunday, June 17, 2007. Hamilton who drives for McLaren Mercedes, won his second consecutive F1 race while his teammate Alonso finished second and Massa third for Ferrari. (UPI Photo/Tom Russo 
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Published: Aug. 3, 2009 at 4:57 PM

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa headed to his home country Monday after being treated for crash injuries at a hospital in Budapest, Hungary.

Massa, who drives for Scuderia Ferrari, was hurt in a high-speed crash during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. He spent nine days in the hospital recovering from a fractured skull that required emergency surgery.

He was struck by a spring that came off Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car. He also sustained an injury to his left eye and suffered a concussion.

"It is sort of a strange feeling," Massa said in his first public recounting of the horrific crash. "I know exactly what happened, that a spring came off Rubens' car and hit me on the helmet. I know that something happened to me, but I didn't feel anything when it happened.

"They told me that I lost consciousness at the moment of the spring's impact on my helmet and I ran into the barriers, then I woke up in hospital two days later. I don't remember anything, and that's what the doctors explained to me."

Massa says he intends to be back on the track as he makes a complete recovery.

Michael Schumacher is expected to drive for Ferrari in the European Grand Prix Aug. 23. Schumacher is a seven-time F1 champion who had retired after the 2006 season.

Topics: Felipe Massa, Rubens Barrichello
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