Luca Badoer - more testing ?!
Discussion
Italy - teatime yesterday. Ambitious racer and Tracey Emin lookalike, Luca Badoer (47) has re-signed as Ferrari test driver alongside fellow Formula One legends, Marc Gene and Andrea Bertolini. Said a delighted Luca 'For sure, I am happy to be testing for a 23rd year running, but of course my aim is to be racing again soon'. With nil GP winner Mika Salo also joining the test squad, Ferrari soon hope to have enough 'B' grade drivers to assist with non test duties, including driving the transporters and motorhomes between races and handling all the PR crap Michael Schumacher won't touch with a bargepole.
Robbo
www.grandprixdiary.com
Robbo
www.grandprixdiary.com
i think badoer made a sound move. what would you rather do race in an uncompetitive car week after week or live it up in modena and charge around fiorano all day in a new ferrari?
yes racing is the pinnacle of the sport but i wouldnt drive a minardi or a jordan if i were badoer. those teams are surviving on a pittance and a driver wants to show of their ability in the best possible car or they are forever tarnished with a bad name. badoer is as fast around fiorano as schumacher and doesnt need to finish 14th in a jordan and suffer the consequences...
yes racing is the pinnacle of the sport but i wouldnt drive a minardi or a jordan if i were badoer. those teams are surviving on a pittance and a driver wants to show of their ability in the best possible car or they are forever tarnished with a bad name. badoer is as fast around fiorano as schumacher and doesnt need to finish 14th in a jordan and suffer the consequences...
Spot on Pablo - I was just taking the mickey out of Luca. He gets around $4 million a year for what he does - best luck to him I say !
Robbo
www.grandprixdiary.com
Robbo
www.grandprixdiary.com
Can't call himself a racing driver if he don't do no racing - can he?
I think it's a real shame that "Racing Drivers" find it more rewarding to sell their racing careers down the river to become "test" drivers. I bet he never would have said "And I really, really want to be a test driver" when he was karting.
I think it's a real shame that "Racing Drivers" find it more rewarding to sell their racing careers down the river to become "test" drivers. I bet he never would have said "And I really, really want to be a test driver" when he was karting.
I agree to a point, it is sad to see the likes of Wurz and Davidson testing when they should be racing, but for the likes of Badoer and Gene, its testing F1 cars on a squillion pounds a year or mucking around driving around in circles in the States - know where I'd be !
Cheers,
Rob
www.grandprixdiary.com
Cheers,
Rob
www.grandprixdiary.com
The real loss is to other forms of motor sport. Badoer and his ilk would do quite well in sports or saloon car racing - but it is still more worthwhile for them to be test monkeys rather than proper competition drivers.
Another example of F1 sucking resources out of the sport.
What a waste!
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 25th January 21:20
Another example of F1 sucking resources out of the sport.
What a waste!
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 25th January 21:20
Its an interesting point. I used to be a mate of Olly Gavin who was British F3 champ in '93 (ish !) and apart from a disasterous dalliance with Pacific and some testing for Benetton that was as close as he got to F1. Now he is plying his trade for Corvette in the US and at Le Mans and doing very nicely but I would wonder if he would not give all that up for a Ferrari test contract ? I sure as hell would !
Rob
www.grandprixdiary.com
Rob
www.grandprixdiary.com
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff