Ferrari's Massa not getting carried away despite emerging fastest in testing

Despite posting the quickest time at testing with his new Ferrari, Massa feels it's too early to judge new car's pace

Despite posting the quickest time at testing with his new Ferrari, Massa feels it's too early to judge new car's pace

Felipe Massa

Ferrari's Felipe Massa set the benchmark on the opening day of the Formula One pre-season test in Jerez.

The new Ferrari, which was today renamed the F150th Italia in an effort to head off a potential court date with Ford over the previous use of the F150 moniker, ran quickly and reliably, completing 101 laps.

But Massa insists it remains early days and is reading nothing into the car's pace.

"I'm pleased. I was able to run continuously, without losing any valuable time," he told Ferrari's official website.

"It doesn't mean anything, because we don't know what time the other drivers were running." A total of 12 drivers took to the track on the first of four days' action in southern Spain. The new McLaren saw Lewis Hamilton taking the MP4-26 to fifth place on its maiden outing. But it was the Ferrari which looked at home.

Massa's best time of one minute 20.709 seconds was over seven tenths of a second quicker than Sauber's Sergio Perez.