JULY 23, 2001

Massa to see scarlet

ALTHOUGH Scuderia Ferrari has denied that it is interested in the services of Felipe Massa as a member of the Formula 1 test team, the Brazilian who is reigning European Formula Renault champion and current leader of the Euro F3000 championship will try out for the equally scarlet and equally historic Alfa Romeo marque as a part of its European Touring Car squad.

Alfa Romeo, whose illustrious career in Grand Prix racing was overseen by Scuderia Ferrari in the 1930s, is a stablemate of Ferrari and Maserati in the Fiat group and has a superb record in modern touring car racing. British Touring Car champions in 1994, International Touring Car Championship front-runners in the mid-1990s and multiple European titleists, Alfa currently campaigns its 156 model with great success.

The 19-year-old Brazilian - who has won every round of the second-string F3000 series this year - will share his running with defending FIA European Touring Car champion Fabrizio Giovanardi (an occasional Ferrari F1 test driver) in a bid to fettle the car for the rest of the season.

Massa, Giovanardi, ex-Ferrari man Nicola Larini and Alfa tester Giorgio Francia joined forces for the recent 24 Hours of Pergusa at Enna, finishing second in an Alfa 147 and Massa's abilities were so highly rated that he will now get the chance to try out the Super Touring 156.