Ferrari will kick off the hectic 2009 "unveiling season" when they launch their new F1 car on January 12.
The Italian outfit, the reigning Constructors’ Champions, will unveil their new car at their Maranello factory next Monday.
Felipe Massa will take the car through its paces for the first at the team’s Fiorano test track on Monday afternoon. However, the new car, which is yet to be named, is unlikely to meet race specifications for the 2009 season.
Some of Ferrari’s main rivals in 2009, McLaren, BMW and Renault, will all launch their 2009 cars the following week.
Red Bull have decided to unveil their RB5 in February.
The new car is set to make its track debut at the Jerez de la Frontera track on February 9.
"Our strategic plan has always been to take full advantage of the later start to the 2009 season and we are using the time to ensure we have optimised the car as much as possible, within the regulation changes, to start on the grid in Melbourne," team principal Christian Horner said in a statement.
Sebastian Vettel, who replaced David Coulthard at the end of last season, will in all likelihood be the first to drive the new RB5 as his team-mate Mark Webber is still recovering from a broken leg.
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