Badoer given one race to prove himself

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali says he has made no decision about who will race alongside Kimi Raikkonen beyond next weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Test driver Luca Badoer stood in for the injured Felipe Massa in Valencia but struggled to readjust to F1 competition after nearly a decade away and was a long way off the pace all weekend, qualifying and finishing at the back of the field.

Badoer said on Thursday that he would occupy Massa’s race seat until the Brazilian returned from his layoff – but following Sunday’s race Domenicali indicated that the 38-year-old will need to raise his game dramatically at Spa if he is to retain the seat.

“What I said exactly, to be precise, is that for us the first priority is to understand when Felipe Massa will come back,” Domenicali told reporters.

“For sure it is an important race for Luca Badoer next weekend.

“We are expecting a big jump from him and then we will see.”


Badoer was an embarrassing 2.6s slower than team-mate Raikkonen in qualifying at Valencia, but posted somewhat more competitive lap times during the race as he gained confidence in the car and spent a number of laps battling with Renault’s impressive debutant Romain Grosjean.

Domenicali saw a few signs of progress from Badoer, and was pleased with the Italian’s fitness after he finished the race with no problems and set his fastest lap time five laps from the end.

“As I’ve said before, Ferrari cannot be satisfied with a car in last position,” he said.

“That is pretty clear, but we need to consider all the circumstances and everything that has happened.

“I think if you look behind it, for sure it was a difficult weekend for him.

“But in terms of race pace today, if you look and compare to the young drivers, you can make your opinion.

“He did a great start and then he was touched from behind so he lost a place, and then in terms of rhythm – everyone was worried this morning about his health, worried that it was not possible for him to get to the finish and that he would have to go to the hospital. But in fact he was very good.

“Then we saw some parts of the race with the blue flags where it was difficult to keep the rhythm.

“At the exit of the first pit stop when there was the situation with Grosjean, it’s just not being used to racing.

“So I am expecting a big step next week.”

Badoer has asked people to be patient with him while he reacclimatises to F1, but promised to perform much better at Spa, a circuit he knows.

“Of course, what was important for him was to finish this weekend,” said Domenicali.

“I think it was a massive relief to have finished this weekend and I’m pretty sure he will have a totally different approach next weekend.”

Source: ITV