Felipe Massa has used the ‘ten year challenge’ to recall his near-fatal crash at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.
During qualifying for that race, Massa was driving at full speed when he was struck in the face by a loose coil which had come loose from the car he had been following. The Brazilian driver was knocked unconscious in the crash with an injury initially considered to be life-threatening. He made a full recovery and returned to racing with Ferrari in 2010.
Massa recalled the incident in the latest social media craze, which includes posting a photo from ten years ago alongside one from today. The caption said: ‘2009-2019. Thank you God’.
Massa’s near-miss had a significant impact on safety standards in racing. It followed the accident which claimed the life of Henry Surtees at a British Formula Two race two weeks earlier — the British driver had been struck by a loose tyre.
The incidents prompted research into cockpit research which culminated in the introduction of the Halo protection device ahead of the 2018 season. Massa has been a vocal supporter of the safety push and last year called the device “beautiful” after Fernando Alonso was involved in a terrifying crash which saw him bounce over the Halo above the head of Charles Leclerc’s Sauber.