Felipe Massa said today he wants to make a rapid return to Formula One as he left hospital just nine days after fracturing his skull during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Speaking for the first time since he was hit by a heavy spring which had fallen from the Brawn GP of Rubens Barrichello, the Ferrari driver also revealed he remembered nothing of the horrific accident.

Brazilian Massa, who flew home to Sao Paulo with his pregnant wife Raffaela, admitted: "It is sort of a strange feeling. I know exactly what happened, that a spring came off Rubens' car and hit me on the helmet.

"I know that something happened to me, but I didn't feel anything when it happened.

"They told me I lost consciousness at the moment of the spring's impact on my helmet and I ran into the barriers, then I woke up in hospital two days later.

"I don't remember anything and that's why what the doctors did had to be explained to me.

"When I saw Rob [Smedley, Massa's 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. And then 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."

Michael Schumacher is coming out of retirement to substitute for Massa in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on 23 August.

Although the German won a record seven world titles, he has not raced since 2006 and Massa was asked if he thought his friend needed any tips about driving the 2009 Ferrari.

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

"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."

Massa's determination to return to Formula One is all the more remarkable considering what happened to him at the Hungaroring circuit.

It has been estimated that Barrichello's spring unit hit Massa at 140mph. He was instantly knocked out and became a helpless passenger as his car ploughed head on into a tyre barrier.

Having been airlifted to Budapest's AEK Hospital Massa was kept in an induced coma following surgery to repair a fractured skull.

For a time there were fears damage to his left eye would threaten his racing career but Massa is now confident he will return to action.

He said: "Many things have happened over the last days and I want to get back to a normal life.

"I want to get back into the best possible condition, doing things you do every day."

Massa, beaten by just one point to last year's world championship by Britain's Lewis Hamilton, admitted the presence by his hospital bedside of his family had helped him recover from the trauma of the crash.

He said: "My family is important to me. They have always been close to me during my career, victories and defeats, and the most difficult moments.

"There was only my brother, Edoardo, at Budapest. But when the accident happened Raffaela, my father, my mother and then my sister came to Hungary. I know that they've suffered a lot and I want to thank them.

"So many people wrote to me, also many who aren't interested in Formula One but had heard about what happened to me.

"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."