A source close to the Ferrari driver who declined to be identified said on Tuesday that Massa drove the kart at a circuit outside Sao Paulo where he was accompanied by friends and his doctor, Dino Altmann.

Altmann told Massa to avoid driving for more than an hour to avoid back pain but light rain that became steadily worse prevented him from doing more than seven laps.

The 28-year-old did not feel any pain or discomfort, added the source.

The Brazilian said last week he would take part in a kart race, his first competitive outing since the July accident, in late November in the southern Brazilian city of Florianopolis.

Massa, last year's drivers' championship runner-up, will not return to Formula One until next season.