Massa to test GP2 car, then older F1 Ferrari
The Brazilian driver, who has been confirmed as Fernando Alonso's teammate for the 2010 season, is recovering from serious head injuries sustained in July's Hungarian GP qualifying.
For the first time since returning home from Budapest to Brazil, he is now en route to Maranello, where his first tasks for this week will be work at the wheel of the team's state of the art driver simulator.
The next step will be the GP2 car, after the FIA officials said it will not violate the total ban on in-season testing.
It has also been reported from Japan that in the slightly more distant future for Massa, 28, will be a test – again on GP2 rubber – in the two-year-old F2007 Ferrari, as was undertaken by Michael Schumacher recently.
Team boss Stefano Domenicali told reporters at Suzuka that a return to racing for Massa for his forthcoming home Brazilian grand prix is impossible, but that there is a remote chance he might be back in the F60 at Abu Dhabi.
"The main target is Bahrain next year," the Italian insisted.
10/04/09 The FIA stewards accepted a request by Ferrari as far as Felipe Massa's return to racing is concerned. To optimize his recovery the Brazilian driver can go through a medical exam with a GP2 car.
Two months after the accident where he was injured during the Hungarian GP's qualifying the Scuderia Ferrari driver will be involved already as of tomorrow in a development program set up at the start of the season, which involves activities at the simulator.‬‪
Furthermore the Federation communicated that this initiative doesn't represent a violation of the 2009 rules, which forbid tests during the season.