Massa eager to return to racing soon

Just nine days after he suffered life-threatening injuries after he was hit on the head by a spring from Rubens Barrichello's car in qualifying in Hungary, the Brazilian driver flew home to Brazil to continue with his recovery.

Massa said he did not remember anything from the accident, but he admitted he was already looking forward to returning to action.

"I don't remember anything and that's why what the doctors did had to be explained to me," said Massa in his first interview since the accident, conducted before flying to Brazil.

"When I saw Rob (Smedley, his race engineer), he asked me if I remembered Rubens, but the last thing I remembered was when I was behind him at the end of my fast lap in Q2, and than it's blank. It's difficult to explain.

"I'm feeling much better now and I want to recover as soon as possible to get back behind the wheel of a Ferrari."

The Brazilian was thankful for all the support he has received the accident.

"First of all I want to thank God," he said. "Then I want to thank the doctors at the race track and at Budapest's AEK hospital, who have done a lot for me, and Dino Altmann, who came with my family from Brazil and who was extraordinary over the last days.

"But I also want to thank everybody who prayed and who wrote to me via my own and Ferrari's website, hoping that everything went well.

"So many people wrote to me, also many who aren't interested in Formula 1, but had heard about what happened to me: thank you so much and I want to tell them that I'm praying also for them. I would have done the same if an accident had happened to another driver: I would have prayed for him that everything went well."

The Ferrari driver, who will be replaced by Michael Schumacher in the next race in Valencia, told the German that he wants his seat back as soon as possible.

He also conceded he had no advice for the seven-time world champion.

"Michael doesn't need my advice! It was him who gave me many tips during my career when we were racing together," Massa added.

"He knows how to win, he knows how to drive and he's great: it was the best choice handing over the car to such a fantastic person and I'm sure that everybody will be happy to see him back on the track again. Although I hope I'll be back on the track with Ferrari as soon as possible."