Massa in Fiorano to prepare for 2010

Felipe Massa should return in Formula 1, officially, during the 2010 season, as has long been planned. But, in recent days, the intensification of the Brazilian's training suggested a return to competition from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last round of the Formula 1 season. The option was possible, Ferrari not being sure of finding Massa as competitive as before his accident, during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

To counter this hypothesis, Ferrari made it clear that the return of Felipe Massa at the wheel of an F1 (Ferrari F2007), this Monday at Fiorano, does not fit into the perspective of a rapid return to competition.

« This is in no way a practice session., specifies Ferrari, and the study of the chronometer will not be on the agenda. He (Massa) will have enough time to do so when, in 2010, alongside Fernando Alonso, he will begin work on developing the new car. It’s quite simply an opportunity for Felipe to reconnect with his usual environment, namely the track. The Brazilian driver will do a few laps of the circuit at the wheel of a private F2007, managed by staff from Ferrari's F1 Clienti department. »

Ferrari recognizes that Felipe Massa's return to the track is " important » but we should not look further than the objectives mentioned above. “ In no way does this mean a return to competition in the near future. »

« In fact, based on a decision made previously and after a medical examination in Paris a few days ago, which turned out to be rather positive, but not enough to approve a return to competition in the next two months, Felipe and the team want to proceed in stages, and without hurry, to recover as best as possible from the effects of the accident which occurred in Budapest on July 25. So talk of a return to Formula 1 can wait until the start of the 2010 season, and only then will the medical examinations required by the FIA ​​be carried out in order to allow someone who has been injured to return to the race. »

Ferrai thus wishes to look towards 2010, leaving the current drivers, Kimi Räikkönen and Giancarlo Fisichella, to finish the season "freewheeling", before starting with a clean sheet in 2010 with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.