Valencia day one - Massa leads the way for Ferrari

If Ferrari’s Felipe Massa wanted to prove he hasn’t changed since his life-threatening accident last July, he did a very good job on Monday in Valencia, topping the timesheets as this year’s opening test got underway at the Spanish track. Massa covered 102 laps in the new F10, clocking a best time of 1m 12.574s.

Second quickest was Pedro de la Rosa for BMW Sauber. De la Rosa, who has opted to forsake his long-held test role at McLaren for a chance to race at the Swiss team, will no doubt be pleased with the maiden showing of his C29, after he ended the day just over two-tenths down on Massa’s Ferrari.

The third slot on the timesheets was taken up by returning seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, who made his debut outing for new team Mercedes. Covering 40 laps during the course of the afternoon, Schumacher took over the W01 from team mate Nico Rosberg, who posted the day’s fourth-fastest time during the morning session.

Fifth quickest was McLaren tester Gary Paffett, who was charged with giving the MP4-25 its maiden run and completed 86 laps. Paffett was the last runner to make it under the 1m 13s mark, with Rubens Barrichello ending the day in sixth following his first day in the new Williams FW32. Barrichello covered 75 laps for his new team.

Despite only managing to complete 18 laps after his STR5 suffered a gearbox issue, Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi finished seventh. The final runner was Robert Kubica for Renault. Kubica finished eighth after clocking a best time of 1m 15.000 over his 69 laps in the R30.

Testing continues at Valencia until Wednesday.


Unofficial Monday test times from Valencia:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:12.574, 102 Laps
2. Pedro de la Rosa, BMW Sauber, 1:12.784, 74 Laps
3. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP, 1:12.947, 40 Laps
4. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP, 1:13.543, 39 Laps
5. Gary Paffett, McLaren, 1:13.846, 86 Laps
6. Rubens Barrichello, Williams, 1:14.449, 75 Laps
7. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 1:14.762, 18 Laps
8. Robert Kubica, Renault, 1:15.000, 69 Laps

Source: Formula1.com

Massa back on track as testing kicks off

Felipe Massa has returned to the cockpit of a competitive Formula One car for the first time in six months.

Massa was among the first of the drivers on track on the opening day of the first F1 test of the season at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

The Ferrari driver required life-saving surgery after an accident in qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix last July. The 28-year-old Brazilian, who now has a metal plate inside his skull to repair the fracture he sustained in the crash, has since made a superb recovery.

Although Massa has driven karts, and most recently a 2008-spec Ferrari in a private test in Barcelona, the moment he pulled out of the garage in the new F10 was his most significant since the smash.

Massa was joined on track by McLaren test driver Gary Paffett, Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa, Robert Kubica in his Renault, Rubens Barrichello for Williams, Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi and Nico Rosberg in the new Mercedes.

It is the first time a works Mercedes has been seen on a circuit since Juan Manuel Fangio won the Drivers' title for the team in 1955.

Mercedes now have a 75% stake in last year's Championship-winning team Brawn GP, with Michael Schumacher coaxed out of retirement to form an all-German line-up with Rosberg.

After a hiatus of more than three years, the seven-time World Champion is scheduled to make his return to action in the afternoon session.

Source: Planet F1