SEPTEMBER 19, 2001

Sauber impressed by Massa

SAUBER, in search of a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen, has been impressed by the speed and feedback of 20-year-old Brazilian Felipe Massa during his first day of testing for the team at Mugello. Massa, who is the European Formula 3000 Champion, completed a total of 50 laps of the Ferrari testing facility near Florence and impressed the team's head of engineering Jacky Eeckelaert, a key decision-maker when it comes to drivers.

Massa has been racing since he was eight years old. In 1998 he switched to car racing in the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet series and in 1999 won the title. He then decided to go to Europe and last year won both the Italian and European Formula Renault Championships. This year he moved to the Italian-based European Formula 3000 series with Draco Racing and has dominated the series.