Massa Looks Forward to Facing the Tifosi

The Brazilian's switch to Ferrari for 2006 was confirmed prior to the Turkish Grand Prix and after testing for the Maranello team at Monza last week, he is well aware of the special attention the team and their drivers face at the Italian track.

"This year will be very special for me now that everyone knows I will be a Ferrari driver next year, because there is always a great atmosphere at this historic circuit," said Massa.

"But my focus will as ever be to score more points for Sauber before the team changes identity for 2006."

Massa admits that he is a great fan of the Monza layout - which the high speed straights and slow chicanes making overtaking possible.

"I've always enjoyed Monza, because a lot of my success before Formula One came there in Formula Renault and Formula 3000 and I lived just down the road in Erba," he said.

"I like the low downforce aspect, and the fact that overtaking is possible. It can be fun when you are braking from 360 km/h to get through the first chicane, especially with only low downforce!

"Also you need to go over the kerbs, especially in the first and second chicanes, and that puts a lot of strain on the car as does all the full-throttle running round the rest of the lap."