BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 27) -- Felipe Massa's health was improving Monday after the Formula One driver communicated passively with doctors, and medical scans provided encouraging signs after surgery on multiple skull fractures.
July 25, 2009: Felipe Massa, whose shattered car is transported to pit lane after the accident, suffers a skull and forehead fracture during Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. Click through to see more stunning crashes throughout racing history.
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Department of defense ministry spokesman Istvan Bocskai told the Associated Press that Massa was not speaking but that the 28-year-old Brazilian reacted when spoken to and was moving his hands and feet.
Massa was in life-threatening but stable condition following surgery on multiple skull injuries sustained during a violent crash in his Ferrari Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Bocskai said that military hospital doctors were reassured after no complications were uncovered by a CT scan. An ultrasound performed Sunday night to check on internal injuries revealed "nothing that would give cause for concern."
The sedated Massa was also being woken up more frequently.
"These are definitely positive signs," Bocskai said.
Massa received a concussion after a loose car part hit his helmet during a qualifying run on Saturday.
Atlanta Braves' Nate McLouth (13) is hit by the ball as he steals second with Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Felipe Lopez covering during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 25, 2009, in Milwaukee. The teams are wearing Negro National League uniforms as part of a tribute. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
AP
A Ferrari fan sits outside Budapest's AEK hospital, where Felipe Massa was taken after his crash on the Hungaroring circuit, July 25, 2009. Ferrari's Massa was in intensive care on Saturday after being hit on the head by bouncing debris and crashing heavily in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. Massa suffered a cut forehead, skull damage and concussion in the accident caused by a fist-sized spring weighing around 800 grams falling off compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn seconds earlier. REUTERS/ Stoyan Nenov (HUNGARY SPORT MOTOR RACING DISASTER)
Reuters
This handout picture by the Hungarian News Agency provided on July 25, 2009 shows Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari carried from his car after crashing during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest on July 25, 2009. The 28-year-old Brazilian - winner of 11 Grand Prix and the world championship runner-up in 2008 - came off at Turn Four after being struck by a piece of bodywork which had flown off the rear of compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car. Massa was airlifted to hospital and underwent surgery on his fractured skull. AFP PHOTO / HUNGARIAN NEWS AGENCY/TAMAS KOVACS (Photo credit should read TAMAS KOVACS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
This handout picture by the Hungarian News Agency provided on July 25, 2009 shpws Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari carried from his car after crashing during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest on July 25, 2009. The 28-year-old Brazilian - winner of 11 Grand Prix and the world championship runner-up in 2008 - came off at Turn Four after being struck by a piece of bodywork which had flown off the rear of compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car. Massa was airlifted to hospital and underwent surgery on his fractured skull. AFP PHOTO BY HUNGARIAN NEWS AGENCY/TAMAS KOVACS (Photo credit should read TAMAS KOVACS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is carried out of his car after his accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25, 2009. The Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary will take place on 26 July 2009. (AP Photo/MTI,Tamas Kovacs)
AP
** EDS NOTE ALTERNATIVE CROP OF MTI109 ** Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is carried out of his car after his accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25, 2009. The Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary will take place on 26 July 2009. (AP Photo/MTI, Tamas Kovacs)
AP
Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is carried out of his car after his accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25, 2009. The Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary will take place on 26 July 2009. (AP Photo/MTI, Tamas Kovacs)
AP
A television cameraman films the entrance of the Honved Hospital in Budapest where Felipe Massa was carried after his high speed crash into the safety wall during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25. 2009. Massa suffered an eye injury and a concussion after he was hit on the head by a part that fell off the car of Brazilian racer Rubens Barrichello. (AP Photos/MTI,Lajos Soos)
AP
A television cameraman films the entrance of the Honved Hospital in Budapest, where Felipe Massa was carried after his high speed crash into the safety wall during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25. 2009. Massa suffered an eye injury and a concussion after he was hit in the head by a part that fell off the car of Brazilian racer Rubens Barrichello. (AP Photos/MTI,Lajos Soos)
AP
Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari is carried out of his car after his accident during the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 25, 2009. The Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary will take place on 26 July 2009. (AP Photo/MTI,Tamas Kovacs)
AP
He then slammed into a protective tire barrier at about 120 mph causing multiple skull injuries that were operated on around one hour after being taken from the Hungaroring circuit.
Although Massa was in stable condition in the intensive care unit at AEK hospital following surgery, doctors called Massa's condition as life-threatening due to the severity of the injuries.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo was scheduled to join the 11-time Grand Prix winner's family -- which includes pregnant wife Anna Rafaela -- on Monday.
F1's governing body is investigating the crash, which came amid a string of safety mishaps.
A Formula 2 driver was killed six days earlier after being struck in the head by a loose tire from another car and crashing into a barrier.
Motorsport authorities also suspended Renault from the next round of the championship for jeopardizing Fernando Alonso's safety when it failed to inform the two-time world champion of a nut wheel problem at Budapest. Alonso's wheel subsequently came off and bounced wildly down the track.
No F1 driver has died on the track since Ayrton Senna 15 years ago. The three-time champion died from head injuries after a violent crash in Italy.
AP Auto Racing Writer Paul Logothetis contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
Yo, less than perfectbob387, Do you have any idea how stupid and ridiculous you sound? Why would you take the time to make that fuzzy brain think of anything but lunch time? I have heard and read some goofy remarks on these comments at differant times, but your comment is stupidly inane......
Yo perfectbob,what the hell are you talking about obama and F1??How the hell is this sport racist,you stupid dumbass?????It was a freak accident and like any proud driver,Felipe Massa will get up and continue to race.
I hope AOL likes the spam they allow here. Of course, if they don't get rid of it, I'll take my 24.95 /month and head out the door.
You can't avoid EVERY possible way that a driver could get hurt. This was the perfect demonstration of a "freak" accident. Wheel tethers wouldn't prevent it.
People that post a comment without reading the article or relating to it in any way are wasting their time and ours. Contribute or go away, don't just clutter up the page.
Do you have any idea how stupid and ridiculous you sound? Why would you take the time to make that fuzzy brain think of anything but lunch time?
I have heard and read some goofy remarks on these comments at differant times, but your comment is stupidly inane......
This comment has been deleted.
You can't avoid EVERY possible way that a driver could get hurt. This was the perfect demonstration of a "freak" accident. Wheel tethers wouldn't prevent it.
This comment has been deleted.