Felipe Massa, it will be for next year

This morning on the Fiorano track, Felipe Massa will be behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. This is in no way a proper test session and the stopwatch will not be on the agenda. The team reminds that he will have plenty of time in 2010, alongside Fernando Alonso, to begin the development work of the new single-seater.

The leaders of Scuderia have clearly stated that it’s simply an opportunity for Felipe Massa to reconnect with his natural environment, namely the track at the wheel of a Formula 1 car. The Brazilian driver will do a few laps at the wheel of a privately owned F2007, managed by Ferrari’s Client F1 department.

Today’s demonstration is important, but in no way does it indicate a return to racing in the near future. This decision for testing was made after a medical examination in Paris a few days ago, which was rather positive, but not enough to approve a return to competition in the next two months. Felipe Massa and the team want to proceed step by step without rushing to recover as best as possible from the accident on July 25th in Budapest.

So talking about a return to Formula 1 can wait until the start of the 2010 season. The Brazilian will then undergo the medical examinations required by the FIA for an injured driver to be able to return to racing.