Massa fastest on slick tires and new Ferrari nose

UPDATE

Ferrari's new innovative nose hole

Added photo of new opening in top of the Ferrari nose.

04/14/08 Felipe Massa with a new radical Ferrari front nose and slick tires set a blistering pace in Formula One's return to testing action in Barcelona Monday.

Massa's best time of 1:18.339 put him 2.7 seconds ahead of Honda test driver Alex Wurz, who also set his best time on slick tires.

Ferrari finally tested its much anticipated radical nose as an official three day session kicked off at the Circuit de Catalunya on Monday.

It was reported recently that the Italian team called off its plan to debut the development – effectively an opening in the upper part of the F2008 front of the F2008's nose – in Bahrain.

When the innovation finally emerged on Felipe Massa's car at Barcelona, it was positioned closer to the cockpit than was speculated, meaning that it was not easily spotted from frontal views.

Instead, the openings could be seen from overhead positions or photographs.

Another notable development in Spain was a drooping element from the sidepod of Renault's R28, while McLaren used a flat rear wing to simulate 2009 levels of downforce to go with the slick Bridgestone tires that are on offer at Barcelona.

The only team missing in Spain this week is Super Aguri. Michael Schumacher is expected to test for Ferrari on Tuesday.

Monday times: