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Massa slams Monaco medical response

ESPN Staff
June 11, 2013 « Wins the target as Button waves goodbye to title hopes | Montezemolo hopes FIA prosecutes Mercedes »
Felipe Massa had two big shunts at Ste Devote this year © Sutton Images
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Felipe Massa has called for an overhaul in the Monaco medical infrastructure after being left unimpressed by the treatment he received after crashing at this year's race.

Massa crashed twice at Ste Devote over the course of the weekend, but fortunately walked away from both shunts without serious injuries. However, he said the speed at which the doctors arrived on the scene and treated him was not acceptable compared to other circuits such as Montreal where he also had a crash at the weekend.

"It's not nice to say it, but maybe I was a test driver for the doctors [in Monaco]," he said. "I had two crashes in Monaco and the organisation and situation there was really bad, whereas here [in Canada] it was perfect. I think it's a situation we have in Monaco and a problem we need to improve for that. I think we've spoken about everything that happened with the doctors already, but in Monaco everything that happened was not good - everything around the crash. The time I waited for the ambulance, on the first crash I had to walk 300 metres over the fence and I think that cannot happen for us."

He added that Monaco could learn a thing or two from Montreal.

"Here everything was perfect," he added. "The doctor was very well prepared in the medical centre and I think it was very good. It's a big difference from here to Monaco and I'm sure that after everything that happened in Monaco they will change the preparation and organisation for an accident."

However, Jenson Button, who had one of the worst accidents of his career in Monaco in 2003, does not think the issue is as big as Massa makes out.

Jenson Button had a big crash at Monaco in 2003 © Sutton Images
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"Felipe had his points and he was correct, but I don't think it was a serious issue," he said. "There was an understanding afterwards and not everything went to plan, but it's difficult for it to go to plan every time.

"For me, when I had my accident in Monaco, which was ten years ago now, I can't really remember much - there was so much morphine pumped into my body! But for me it was fine, they took me out of the car, put me in the ambulance and took me straight to hospital so it wasn't an issue at all."

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