From GMM
Felipe Massa is currently in Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, following more than four hours of skull surgery on Monday.
The operation was to repair damage to his skull by the addition of a titanium plate at the spot the Brazilian was struck by a flying suspension spring during qualifying in Budapest in late July.
Ferrari said the surgery "had a positive outcome" and that Massa will return home to begin his physical preparations for the 2010 season after a short hospital stay.
In an interview published on Tuesday by Britain's Guardian newspaper, the 28-year-old said the surgery is to "close a bone in my head that they had taken away (in Hungary) because it was completely damaged".
"A normal guy can live like this without any problem. But for a driver, if you have an accident and you have this problem, the recovery is more difficult," Massa explained.
"That's the only reason they won't allow me to race now. Otherwise I feel the same as before. I'm going to Europe to use the simulator and drive some go-karts and then I will know very well if I'm 100 per cent," he added.
Massa confirmed that, contrary to his earlier target, he will now no longer be able to make his comeback at his home grand prix in Brazil next month.
He said he has been following recent races live from his Sao Paulo home but that "it will be much worse when I have to watch the race in Brazil".
"It will be difficult to watch it," Massa concedes, "but I will be there."
Some weeks after the Brazilian grand prix, Felipe Massa and his wife Rafaela will become parents.
"I am very excited. The baby is due just after the middle of November - and we know it is a boy. We will call him Felipe. I don't think I will ever forget 2009 because of this crash and, more importantly, becoming a father. Positive things come out of even the most difficult times," the winner of 11 grands prix, and the 2008 championship runner-up, added.
Felipe Massa is currently in Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, following more than four hours of skull surgery on Monday.
The operation was to repair damage to his skull by the addition of a titanium plate at the spot the Brazilian was struck by a flying suspension spring during qualifying in Budapest in late July.
Ferrari said the surgery "had a positive outcome" and that Massa will return home to begin his physical preparations for the 2010 season after a short hospital stay.
In an interview published on Tuesday by Britain's Guardian newspaper, the 28-year-old said the surgery is to "close a bone in my head that they had taken away (in Hungary) because it was completely damaged".
"A normal guy can live like this without any problem. But for a driver, if you have an accident and you have this problem, the recovery is more difficult," Massa explained.
"That's the only reason they won't allow me to race now. Otherwise I feel the same as before. I'm going to Europe to use the simulator and drive some go-karts and then I will know very well if I'm 100 per cent," he added.
Massa confirmed that, contrary to his earlier target, he will now no longer be able to make his comeback at his home grand prix in Brazil next month.
He said he has been following recent races live from his Sao Paulo home but that "it will be much worse when I have to watch the race in Brazil".
"It will be difficult to watch it," Massa concedes, "but I will be there."
Some weeks after the Brazilian grand prix, Felipe Massa and his wife Rafaela will become parents.
"I am very excited. The baby is due just after the middle of November - and we know it is a boy. We will call him Felipe. I don't think I will ever forget 2009 because of this crash and, more importantly, becoming a father. Positive things come out of even the most difficult times," the winner of 11 grands prix, and the 2008 championship runner-up, added.