Formula 1

Felipe Massa returns to Ferrari

Special day for Felipe Cheste, 15 November 2009 -- If it was Fernando Alonso's first participation in the Finali Mondiali Ferrari, it wasn't Felipe Massa's debut, but it definitely was a special day for him. The Brazilian driver, was back ...

Published: Nov 16, 2009, 6:53 PM

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Special day for Felipe

Cheste, 15 November 2009 -- If it was Fernando Alonso's first participation in the Finali Mondiali Ferrari, it wasn't Felipe Massa's debut, but it definitely was a special day for him. The Brazilian driver, was back behind the wheel of "his" single-seater, the F60 he had to leave after his accident in Budapest on 25 July. It wasn't the first time Felipe sat behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car since his accident. He drove several laps in Fiorano on 12 October, but this was just an appetiser. Today he was driving in front of the Ferrari fans, which had a special flair to it. "I am very happy to be here, that I can work with the team," Felipe. "It's true that I've been with them in Sao Paulo and in Abu Dhabi, but driving is really extraordinary! Today I also want to thank all the fans, who were really close to me over the last months. The messages I received were wonderful. Lets hope that we can give our fans some satisfaction in 2010: Fernando and I rally want to be the best couple in Formula 1."

Felipe drove around 20 laps, first with his teammates Gene, Fisichella and Badoer and later on, after a couple of pit stops, alone, before finishing with a parade together with the other Formula 1 single-seaters and the F430 GTs from the AF Corse and Risi Competizione team, the winners of the Constructor's and Teams' titles in the FIA GT and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans respectively

"It was fantastic and I am so happy. Although I could drive just a little, I really enjoyed being here," the Brazilian driver said at the end of the show. "I am very motivated: this today for me is like victory. It was just like before the accident at the Hungaroring."

"Felipe has an incredible taste for victory," Rob Smedley, his track engineer, who today was in charge at the symbolic Scuderia pitwall, added. "This is another small step ahead in the preparations for his return to racing. The lap times? I didn't pay attention to them."

Felipe immediately ran off to the airport, where he got on of a plane taking him back to Sao Paulo, where his wife Raffaela is waiting for him, while engaged in her very own Grand Prix, which will end very soon - this or next week -- with the birth of a son, who will bear his father's name.

-credit: ferrari

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