Massa quickest as F1 returns to work

Formula One roared back into action on Tuesday at the Barcelona circuit, where nine of the eleven Grand Prix teams began their winter testing programmes

With all the teams using Bridgestone tyres, Ferrari showed their experience will count next season, with Felipe Massa topping the times for the Italian squad.

Test driver Luca Badoer posted the third fastest time of the day.

McLaren's Pedro de la Rosa, however, followed Brazilian Massa closely, less than three tenths of a second behind in his team's maiden test with the Japanese tyres.

De la Rosa worked alongside Briton Lewis Hamilton, who managed 63 laps on his way to the sixth fastest time of the day. Hamilton caused an early red flag when his car stopped on track with an engine mapping issue.

The BMW-Sauber team continued to show good form, with German Nick Heidfeld fourth fastest also in the German squad's first taste of the Bridgestone rubber. Teammate Robert Kubica was seventh quickest in the second F1.06.

Honda, Renault, Toro Rosso, Red Bull and Super Aguri also completed their first day of work with their new tyres following Michelin's exit.

Briton Anthony Davidson made his debut with the Super Aguri team, driving an interim car, appearing very similar to last year's Honda RA106. Davidson was 11th fastest.

There were only two red flags during the day, the first caused by Hamilton and the second by Kubica when his car stopped on the main straight at around 4pm.

Today's times:

Pos  Driver        Team                      Time      Laps
 1.  Massa         Ferrari              (B)  1:17.160   52
 2.  de la Rosa    McLaren-Mercedes     (B)  1:17.455   68
 3.  Badoer        Ferrari              (B)  1:17.555   77
 4.  Heidfeld      BMW-Sauber           (B)  1:17.651   62
 5.  Barrichello   Honda                (B)  1:17.932   82
 6.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes     (B)  1:18.239   63
 7.  Kubica        BMW-Sauber           (B)  1:18.519   46
 8.  Rossiter      Honda                (B)  1:18.678   85
 9.  Wurz          Williams-Toyota      (B)  1:18.691   94
10.  Piquet        Renault              (B)  1:18.852   93
11.  Davidson      Super Aguri-Honda    (B)  1:19.112   93
12.  Kovalainen    Renault              (B)  1:19.187   93
13.  Liuzzi        Toro Rosso-Cosworth  (B)  1:19.216   78
14.  Speed         Toro Rosso-Cosworth  (B)  1:19.380   66
15.  Webber        Red Bull-Ferrari     (B)  1:19.439   45
16.  Coulthard     Red Bull-Ferrari     (B)  1:19.692   75

Distance covered   Km    Laps
Renault            860.6  186
Honda              772.7  167
Toro Rosso         666.3  144
McLaren Mercedes   606.1  131
Ferrari            583.0  126
ReBull Racing      555.2  120
BMW Sauber         499.7  108
Williams           434.9   94
Super Aguri        430.3   93