Brawn GP have surprised us says Ferrari's Massa

Brawn GP have taken their Formula One rivals by surprise with their buoyant showing in testing in Barcelona this week, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa one of those won over by the new team.

After Jenson Button had posted the quickest time on Wednesday for the former Honda F1 team bought by Ross Brawn it was the turn of Rubens Barrichello to continue the good work on Thursday.

The Brazilian sped round the Catalunya circuit leaving the likes of Massa and world champion Lewis Hamilton in his wake, posting a fastest time of 1:18.926 in a 110-lap session for the new Formula One outfit.

Barrichello was almost one second faster than Nico Rosberg in a Williams with Hamilton's McLaren almost two seconds slower.

Massa, who clocked a best time of 1:20.677, has been impressed with the speed of the new Brawn and its Mercedes engine.

"This Brawn has surprised everyone," said the man pipped by Hamilton for the world title last season.

"Before Barcelona we (Ferrari) were one of the quickest on the circuit, we were very competitive, in the leading pack. Now we're competitive, but behind Brawn."

Massa added: "No one can do the same times (as Brawn). Everyone was using less fuel, not only them. But their times were much faster than those that anyone else could do."

Barrichello, echoing Massa's positive assessment, suggested the Brawn car was going to be "the surprise of the season".

"I've waited for this moment for a long time," he said. "I was worried in Brazil that I wouldn't be able to use my skill in a good car but I'm very pleased to be able to say that this year will be a happy one.

"I don't want to say that we're made for the year, but it's a very good start.

"We've got a good car, a good engine, a good team. I think we're going to be the surprise of the season!"

Brawn GP carries the name of Ross Brawn, the former Ferrari engineer who put together a management buy-out of the Honda team that had pulled out of F1 due to the global economic crisis.

The 2009 season gets under way in Melbourne on March 29.