Felipe Massa

Rome: World Championship runner-up Felipe Massa described the new Ferrari F60 Formula One car as ‘cute’ after Ferrari presented a new-look 2009 Formula One car on Monday.

Massa 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.

Most of the design changes have been imposed by the FIA in order to increase overtaking in a sport often lacking in excitement due to the difficulties in passing the car in front.

A shorter front wing, a thinner but higher and more compact rear wing and standardised central chassis are all modifications introduced by the FIA’s Overtaking Working Group (OWG).

Massa took the F60 for a spin around the famous Mugello circuit just outside Florence with Ferrari having changed the original location from Fiorano due to icy conditions there.

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.

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.

Massa said he was 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.

“But I feel stronger from the point of view of experience. I feel ready for a great battle. Right now it’s difficult to say who will be the main rivals. But McLaren will make life the most difficult for sure. There’s also BMW, Renault and maybe other surprises.

“We don’t know how good the Ferrari will be, we’ve worked very hard but there’s still a long way to go before the first race.”

The new F1 season opens in Melbourne on March 29 with the Australian Grand Prix, which last year was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali recognised that new regulations would make it harder for the Italian team to defend their title.

“We are talking about a championship where we haven’t seen anything yet,” he told a news conference at the F60 car’s unveiling.

“Other teams could have a car much more advanced. So it’s right to be cautious. We hope our car will be competitive from the start.”

Ferrari have won the constructors’ title for eight of the past 10 years but are eager to make up for missing out on the drivers’ championship by a single point to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton last season.

“It is a car with a completely different make-up. There’s a lot of positivity within the team but we know it will be a very particular season,” said Domenicali, whose team are the first to launch their new car.

“Today represents an important date with the first test on the track with the new systems. There may be problems and we will have to resolve them. It means in the first test all the elements will come out that we need to look at.”

“Drivers will have a more important input this season,” Domenicali said, while ruling out Ferrari using the early part of the season to get used to the new rules before refining their approach for a late burst at the titles.

“Planning like that is not really me,” he said. “The aim of everyone is to remain at the top. This is our spirit, with two drivers who are very motivated.”

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, who was world champion in 2007 but had a disappointing season last year, is due to race in the Artic Lapland Rally later this month and Domenicali said he was fine with the Finn taking part.

“I have no problem with it because it is part of our tradition of keeping an open approach with our drivers,” he said.

An Italian newspaper reported last month that Renault’s double world champion Fernando Alonso had a secret deal to join Ferrari from 2011 with Raikkonen possibly leaving but Ferrari have not commented on the reports.