Badoer out, Bianchi in
By Jay
December 8 2010
Ferrari has confirmed that Luca Badoer would end his test driver role this year, and 21-year-old Frenchman Jules Bianchi will replace him.
The team had announced last month that Bianchi had been signed as test driver for 2011.
The veteran Italian has been in the role since the late 90s, accumulating more than 130,000 kilometres at Fiorano in Ferrari’s F1 cars during that period.
The confirmation came in a press release about Ferrari’s involvement in the Bologna International Motor Show.
Ferrari said Badoer’s demonstration of a 2009 car at the show “will be his farewell to an amazing thirteen year career as a Ferrari test driver”.
Also contracted in test roles for Ferrari are Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gene.
However, Ferrari has not said which driver will be the official F1 reserve in 2011.
Badoer was heavily criticised for his lack of competitiveness when he replaced the injured Felipe Massa in the Brazilian’s race cockpit last year, driving the F60.
Badoer has raced for minor Italian teams throughout the 90s but failed to score any points.
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why do ferrari need three test drivers, when we are so limited on testing that essentially all testing is done by the race drivers?
