Ferrari’s preparative work ahead of the start of the upcoming 2010 Formula One world Championship continues. Only a couple of hours after the end of on track testing at the Catalunya circuit in Barcelona, Felipe Massa was back in the cockpit of a Formula One single-seater.

No, it was not in an unforeseen test session, instead it was the Brazilian’s debut with the Ferrari simulator, which had been inaugurated just before Christmas Day last December.

 "I was really impressed,” Felipe said. "This is much more realistic and it will be useful in the car’s development work and during the preparations for the races."

Felipe also tested a novelty that Ferrari will present later today at the Geneva Car Show: the Stop & Start System in the Ferrari California, which reduces the time needed to start the car from seven tenths to two tenths of a second.

"I really like to follow the technological development of our road cars from close up and I was really interested in this new system,” Felipe said. "This is a completely transparent solution for the driver, but it reduces consumption, which is a very important topic also in Formula 1, increasing the sportiness of a car like the California."