Massa hails new Ferrari F60

Eurosport - Tue, 13 Jan 17:55:00 2009

Felipe Massa gave Ferrari's new Formula One car its track debut and said it felt entirely different to the one he drove to victory six times last year.

2009 Test Mugello Ferrari Massa - 0

Formula One has made major changes for the coming season with new aerodynamic regulations and slick tyres brought in to boost overtaking.

New rules on weight distribution have been drawn up and the KERS system, which gives cars a limited power boost by recovering energy from the brakes, introduced.

"It really is a car which is totally different to what we were used to up to last year," the Brazilian said as the constructors' world champions became the first team to unveil their car.

"KERS and the aerodynamic changes mean the car is completely different to drive. This is just the beginning of a new cycle in Formula One and it will not be an easy experience."

Massa was runner-up last year to McLaren's 23-year-old Briton Lewis Hamilton, who won the driver's title by one point.

Massa had expected the first outing at Mugello to be tough but saw positive signs ahead of a proper test in Portimao, Portugal, later this month.

"This was the first day and we weren't looking to do 100 laps and good times given that they've changed the rules," he said. "Today there were small problems like on any first day but I'm happy with how it went.

"It will certainly be very different to drive this car...but you get more familiar and eventually it will be automatic. When changes are introduced it is always like that and at this stage we suffer, like last year with the lack of traction control.

"This is a situation where the driver is more important."

The 27-year-old had no regrets about last season and felt confident ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29.

"The mood inside the team is pretty good. There have been great changes and maybe it will change some of the ways we work.

I'm pretty happy with the work done by the team and I hope they'll continue to improve week after week," he said.

"During this holiday period I just put myself in a very normal frame of mind and tried to draw a lesson from last year. I'm not looking backwards, I'm always looking to the future."

Some observers have said the aerodynamic changes have made the new cars look ugly but Massa thought Ferrari's F60 was not too bad.

"I was positively impressed. I prefer to have an ugly car with very high performance levels," he said.

Reuters

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  1. Having READ the story (unlike most of the posters on here!!), I cannot see where Massa hailed the new F60. Very much sounded like he was none too impressed going by his quotes.

    From satchcarpenter, on Tue 13 Jan 9:12AM

  2. alonso is right driver for ferari.he will put ferari on top easily.

    From anu, on Tue 13 Jan 6:34AM

  3. alonso is right driver for ferari.he will put ferari on top easily.

    From anu, on Tue 13 Jan 6:34AM

  4. alonso is right driver for ferari.he will put ferari on top easily.

    From anu, on Tue 13 Jan 6:34AM

  5. alonso is right driver for ferari.he will put ferari on top esily.

    From anu, on Tue 13 Jan 6:34AM

  6. Fernando Alonzo is what ferrari needs and not that F60 thing.. just bring Alonzo and he will take care of business...

    From rustan r, on Tue 13 Jan 3:21AM

  7. I just wanted to say the Schumacher got beat by Carl Edwards. So don't be so elitist when talking about NASCAR. This is all. Good day. ; )

    From brainsaber, on Tue 13 Jan 1:50AM

  8. More than 62,900 fans have signed an online petition urging the FIA to reconsider the penalty that stripped Lewis Hamilton of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix.

    The way that Hamilton was punished for gaining an advantage when he cut the chicane in the closing stages of the race has infuriated fans.

    And one has now set up a petition to garner support for Hamilton's penalty to be overturned.

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:13AM

  9. More than 62,900 fans have signed an online petition urging the FIA to reconsider the penalty that stripped Lewis Hamilton of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix.

    The way that Hamilton was punished for gaining an advantage when he cut the chicane in the closing stages of the race has infuriated fans.

    And one has now set up a petition to garner support for Hamilton's penalty to be overturned.

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:13AM

  10. If you saw the race you know that it was all but won by Kimi until the rain began to fall. Unable to cope with the tires Kimi lost time. Lewis caught him and them the most exciting racing that I have ever seen began. The dog fight was hard fought and wild with drivers sliding, spinning and taking evasive maneuvers. It was a truely victorious win for Lewis who lost his #1 position early in the race to a spin & was unable to regain ground on Kimi until the 3rd stint on the harder Bridgestone Tire. I watch the footage repeatedly and saw that Lewis clearly conceded the position.

    I find it heavily unfair that the FIA is so seemingly bias in Ferrari’s favor all the time. It takes the fun out of the sport when the cheating is obvious. Help me support change in the FIA. Sign the attached petition and help us get Lewis Hamilton back his trophy, his win, & his points.

    hosted on the web by our free online petition service, at:

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:12AM

  11. If you saw the race you know that it was all but won by Kimi until the rain began to fall. Unable to cope with the tires Kimi lost time. Lewis caught him and them the most exciting racing that I have ever seen began. The dog fight was hard fought and wild with drivers sliding, spinning and taking evasive maneuvers. It was a truely victorious win for Lewis who lost his #1 position early in the race to a spin & was unable to regain ground on Kimi until the 3rd stint on the harder Bridgestone Tire. I watch the footage repeatedly and saw that Lewis clearly conceded the position.

    I find it heavily unfair that the FIA is so seemingly bias in Ferrari’s favor all the time. It takes the fun out of the sport when the cheating is obvious. Help me support change in the FIA. Sign the attached petition and help us get Lewis Hamilton back his trophy, his win, & his points.

    hosted on the web by our free online petition service, at:

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:11AM

  12. I have read the Formula One Sporting Regulations and the FIA International Sporting Code with special attention for the two rules quoted in the official press release, but those rules say nothing more than “you must use the track”. The so called “gaining an advantage” is never explained or declared and the rules are absolutely void of any regulations about what should be done to normalise the situation again.

    The decision has once again fueled the discussion about FIA being biased in favour of Ferrari and several important people in the F1 have now said what a big part of the public has been thinking for years. In any case, such decisions are the exact opposite of what the sport needs. An online petition has been started to try to convince the FIA to revert the decision. Will it help? Probably not, but not trying won’t help at all.

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:07AM

  13. What a ugly looking @#$% car. F1 is going backwards not forwards.

    From l, on Tue 13 Jan 1:04AM

  14. The key to the wings staying on will be the big issue, driving over track undulations must mean slightly flexible wing supports.I cant see how these massive wings wont be seesawing from one side to the other without using wire supports.

    From wizzo, on Mon 12 Jan 11:43PM

  15. Looks like the front wing fell off as they wheeled the car out of the garage. The whole front end looks very vulnerable to me.

    From owen gayer, on Mon 12 Jan 11:29PM

  16. That front wing does seem a little low. Everyone is worried about cars touching, what about the slightly rougher undulating tracks and street circuits? One slightly raised manhole cover in Valencia and every car ends up with its front wing under the front wheels? How much is going to get eroded from the bottom of the wing as it scraps over the bumbs at Monaco? Just a thought.

    From ginger_gitt, on Mon 12 Jan 10:57PM

  17. Marino talks @#$% man !!!!!!

    C'mon MCLAREN!!!!!!!!

    From GRAEME M, on Mon 12 Jan 10:55PM

  18. Bill Mac : Quite possible but a question asked should be a question answered

    From slimj, on Mon 12 Jan 10:47PM

  19. I would love to see these cars plowing my parking lot!

    From F1 Kracker, on Mon 12 Jan 10:40PM

  20. i see yahoo still haven't dealt with our Peruvian friend!

    From markrose260, on Mon 12 Jan 9:26PM
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