Raikkonen makes Ferrari debut at Vallelunga

VALLELUNGA, Italy, Jan 23 (Reuters) Kimi Raikkonen made his long-awaited Ferrari debut today with his first Formula One test for the Italian glamour team at a damp Vallelunga circuit.

Some 50 fans huddled in the stand at the track near Rome as the 27-year-old Finn, the heir apparent to retired seven times champion Michael Schumacher, got to grips with last year's 248 F1 car.

Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa was testing the new F2007 car at the same time under overcast skies and occasional showers.

A Ferrari spokesman said everything was proceeding as scheduled and Raikkonen, twice a championship runner-up at McLaren, had completed some 18 laps by 1100GMT.

The season starts in Australia on March 18.

Ferrari abandoned plans to test at Mugello, much closer to their Maranello factory, because of forecast bad weather in the next three days.

REUTERS DH VC1832