Massa Stands In for Badoer as Ferrari Reserve

Brazilian Felipe Massa will replace Luca Badoer as Ferrari's reserve driver for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix, the Formula One champions said today.

Test driver Massa, who raced for Sauber last season, is on stand-by while Italian Badoer recovers in Europe after crashing Ferrari's new F2003-GA.

Badoer was taken to hospital for checks after a crash blamed on mechanical failure at Mugello in Italy on March 11. It was his second accident in the car, having also crashed at Jerez in Spain in February.

Ferrari are still using a version of last year's dominant F2002 and, although no firm date has been set, are expected to run the new car when the Championship returns to Europe with the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola in April.

"Obviously the two accidents didn't help our programme and to some degree may delay our programme," World Champion Michael Schumacher told a news conference.

Schumacher has been on holiday with his family in the Maldives since the March 9 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which ended with no Ferrari driver on the podium for the first time in 54 races.