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BUDAPEST - Ferrari's Felipe Massa will miss Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix after suffering a horror crash in qualifying when his car careered off the track at more than 200kph after being hit by flying debris.
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 will undergo surgery, said a Ferrari spokesman.
"After the accident during the qualifying session of the Grand Prix of Hungary, Felipe Massa was airlifted to the AEK Hospital in Budapest," said a team statement.
"Felipe was conscious when he arrived at the hospital and his general condition remains stable. Following a complete medical examination, it emerged that he had suffered cuts on his forehead, damage to his skull and concussion.
"Surgery is therefore necessary. After that he will remain under observation in intensive care."
Massa was hit on the face and was momentarily concussed as his car skewed off the circuit and into the tyre barriers.
The Brawn team confirmed that Barrichello's car lost a piece of suspension and on-board film from Massa's Ferrari showed him being struck, losing control and going off the track.
He was lifted out of his driver's cockpit after being attended by medical staff and then taken to the circuit medical centre.
The accident took place shortly before the end of the Q2 mini-session during the hour-long qualifying period in which Massa managed to clock the eighth-fastest time.
It was later confirmed that Massa had suffered severe bruising to his face around the left eye.
Barrichello told BBC Sport that he believed a rear bar or rear spring had fallen off - "something broke" - after qualifying in 13th, but made no mention of Massa's crash.
Massa's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen said: "Felipe was just very unlucky. It was just an unlucky situation."
The incident again threw the spotlight in safety in motor racing just a week after Britain's Henry Surtees was killed in an accident in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch.
The son of former world champion John Surtees was struck by a wheel which flew off a competitor's car.
Massa has been with Ferrari since 2006 and was pipped by just one point by Lewis Hamilton in the title race in 2008.
He is currently in fifth place in the drivers championship with 22 points.
- AFP /ls
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