Ferrari unveil new F1 car

By Mark Meadows

MUGELLO, Italy (Reuters) - Ferrari presented a new-look 2009 Formula One car on Monday with team boss Stefano Domenicali recognising that new regulations would make it harder for the Italian team to defend their title.

"We are talking about a championship where we haven't seen anything yet," he told a news conference at the F60 car's unveiling.

"Other teams could have a car much more advanced. So it's right to be cautious. We hope our car will be competitive from the start."

Formula One has to contend with major changes this year, including slick tyres and revised aerodynamics designed to make overtaking easier. There are also cost-cutting measures, such as a ban on testing during the season, due to the global financial crisis.

Ferrari have won the constructors' title for eight of the past 10 years but are eager to make up for missing out on the drivers' championship by a single point to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton last season.

"It is a car with a completely different make-up. There's a lot of positivity within the team but we know it will be a very particular season," said Domenicali, whose team are the first to launch their new car.

"Today represents an important date with the first test on the track with the new systems. There may be problems and we will have to resolve them. It means in the first test all the elements will come out that we need to look at."

Brazilian Felipe Massa, winner of six races last year and overall runner-up to 23-year-old Briton Hamilton, will give the new car its first proper runout later at the Mugello circuit north of Florence.