Massa says he was happy with his run in a 2008 Ferrari in Barcelona

Felipe Massa has declared his return to the cockpit of a Ferrari on a grand prix track a success.

The Brazilian drove a 2008 car at Spain's Circuit de Catalunya as he continues his comeback from a fractured skull suffered in a crash last year.

"It was a perfect way to optimise my form here in Barcelona," Massa said.

"I'm really happy that I had this new opportunity to get behind the wheel of an F1 car. I can't wait to sit in the new car and get stuck in."

Massa had previously twice driven a 2007 Ferrari at the team's Fiorano and Mugello test tracks in Italy last year.

Ferrari said Massa completed more than 186 miles - effectively a grand prix distance - in the car that had been used by MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi over the previous two days.

The test was aimed at helping him gain confidence ahead of the debut of Ferrari's 2010 car next month.

Massa will be the first to drive the new car at a test in Valencia on 1 February.

His new team-mate, double world champion Fernando Alonso, will take over on the subsequent two days of the test, where McLaren and Mercedes - formerly Brawn - will also give their new cars their debut.

The extra testing day in Barcelona presented Massa with an opportunity to sharpen his driving skills following the life-threatening incident at the Hungaroring, which left him in a coma and with fears his left eye had been permanently damaged.

606: DEBATE Having come close to shelving his career or worse from that accident and to bounce back with such gusto, Massa's passion and hunger are almost contagious. Brianprodigy

He was hit on the helmet just above his left eye by a spring that had become detached from countryman Rubens Barrichello's Brawn.

Massa was travelling at slightly more than 160mph when the spring hit him and he crashed into the barriers at about 60mph after being knocked unconscious.

The Brazilian is adamant he will return to Formula 1 stronger than ever and, after twice testing a 2007 Ferrari last year, will step up his rehabilitation by putting Ferrari's 2008 championship-winning car through its paces at the Circuit de Catalunya.

With testing during the season prohibited, any opportunity to drive an F1 car is vital to each and every driver.

Massa is able to run the 2008 car because testing rules apply only to current and future car specifications, and the two-year embargo on using the 2008 car has now elapsed.

Rossi completed his own test in impressive style, setting a lap time of one minute 21.900 seconds.

That is just 0.230secs slower than the fastest lap of 2008 Spanish Grand Prix, set by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

The performances are not comparable because the cooler conditions of winter generally produce significantly quicker laps.

Nevertheless, Rossi, a seven-time MotoGP champion, declared himself delighted with his pace, telling the Ferrari website he would "have given anything for such a lap time" in what was his sixth test in an F1 car.

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