13 January,2009 08:16 AM IST | | AFP
World Championship runner-up Felipe Massa described the new Ferrari F60 Formula One car as 'cute' after it was unveiled on the company's official website yesterday.
Massa, who missed out on the world title to Britain's Lewis Hamilton on the final corner of the final race in Brazil last season was the first to test the 2009 Ferrari model successor to the F2008 which has been radically adapted to comply with new International Automobile Federation (FIA) stipulations aimed at encouraging overtaking.
"I feel emotional but I'm also happy to take it out on track for the first time," said the Brazilian. "With all the new rules I was expecting a different type of car, like 10 years ago with big wings so I was surprised. The new F60 seems tiny, very compact and cute."
The car is named F60 in reference to the number of championships Ferrari have participated in and becomes the 55th different F1 car designed by the Italian manufacturer.
Ferrari, the reigning constructors' world champions, are the first team to unveil their new F1 car but will be followed this week by Toyota on Thursday and Hamilton's team and main title rivals McLaren a day later.
Coming soon...
The Renault team of former double world champion Fernando Alonso and Williams unveil their cars next Monday with BMW Sauber following a day after that. Red Bull, however, will not announce theirs until February 9.
It is Ferrari and McLaren, though, who are expected to lead from the front again this season and Massa says he is ready to try to go one better than last season, when only a single point separated him from Hamilton following the Briton's late overtaking of Timo Glock in Brazil.
"Every year you feel stronger, better prepared psychologically and physically," said Massa.
