Ferrari's Felipe Massa was in intensive care on Saturday after being hit on the head by bouncing debris and crashing heavily in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.
Ferrari, the Formula One champions, said in a statement that the Brazilian had emergency surgery at Budapest's AEK hospital which went well. A further update would be issued on Sunday.
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.
The accident, which rules Massa out of Sunday's race at the Hungaroring, brought back grim memories of the crash that killed compatriot and triple champion Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994.
It also followed the death last Sunday of Briton Henry Surtees, 18-year-old son of Ferrari's 1964 Formula One champion John, who was killed by a loose wheel hitting him on the head in a race at Brands Hatch.
Massa's red car, leaving streaking brake marks across the asphalt, ploughed straight on at turn four and into the tyre wall.
The Brazilian, who appeared to have been knocked unconscious before the car left the track, was extracted and taken by ambulance to the circuit medical centre and then by helicopter to hospital.
Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport website (www.gazzetta.it) showed a photograph of the driver with his visor half ripped off and a bloody gash over his closed left eye.
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