Jan.9 (GMM) Felipe Massa, not Fernando Alonso, has been tipped to give Ferrari’s 2012 car its official debut next month when testing kicks off at Jerez.
The first official test of the winter starts on February 7, and Marca newspaper said the likely driver in the cockpit of the red car is likely to be Brazilian Massa.
On the same day, Mark Webber will reportedly give Red Bull’s championship-defending challenger its debut, before his teammate Sebastian Vettel takes over on the following days.
Ferrari’s plan appears similar, with Marca saying Fernando Alonso is next in line after Massa to drive Maranello’s 2012 single seater at the southern Spanish venue.
The newspaper said Alonso and Vettel, likely championship challengers this year, will surely meet on the circuit on day three of the test, on February 9.
Ferrari’s 2012 project is codenamed 663.
Marca said it is possible the car will make an unofficial debut on February 3 at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track, when the single seater will be revealed to the media for the first time.