Mark Webber believes Formula One officials must learn from Felipe Massa's freak accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

He hopes this incident can spur ongoing efforts to increase safety in the sport.

Massa is in a serious but stable condition at the AEK military hospital in Budapest after being struck on the head by a spring that had fallen from the back of Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP car during Saturday's qualifying session at the Hungaroring.

Massa was dazed by the impact, which occurred while the Ferrari driver was travelling at over 160mph, and lost control of his car before crashing heavily into a tyre barrier.

The FIA launched an investigation immediately after the crash, which came less than a week after British teenage driver Henry Surtees lost his life after being hit on the head by a loose wheel in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch.

"We need to learn from what happened to Felipe," Webber told the talkSPORT radio station

"We saw from the accident where we lost Henry Surtees from a head injury as well when material flew in to the cockpit area, it was tragic accident for all motor sport.

"It's not easy, but it's part of the game we sign up for.

"All the drivers know it's not lawn bowls and sometimes it's a very dangerous sport.

"We're all aware of the risk. Our thoughts are clearly with Felipe and with his family and we don't want this stuff to happen, but unfortunately when you're doing those kind of speeds sometimes things can happen that you don't want to."

Red Bull driver Webber, who sits second in the F1 drivers' standings behind Jenson Button, added that he thought the strength of Massa's helmet may have prevented him suffering more significant injuries.

There were fears for the Brazilian's life in the aftermath of the crash, although his condition has improved in the past 24 hours with the Brazilian responding well after being brought out of a medically-induced coma.

"For Felipe to have one [accident] with a spring coming towards him, which is a very heavy object, is pretty unusual," Webber continued.

"Normally we might have a bit of debris or something a bit lighter, but to have something that heavy come in to an open cockpit is dangerous.

"We really need to study Felipe's helmet to see if there's something we can learn from that. The helmet did a phenomenal job."