Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Luca Badoer leaves Ferrari after 13 years | 2010 F1 season


Luca Badoer, Ferrari, Bologna Motor Show, 2010

Luca Badoer, Ferrari, Bologna Motor Show, 2010

Luca Badoer has made his final public appearance as a Ferrari driver after 13 years with the team.

The long-serving test driver helped develop the cars which won six consecutive constructors' championship from 1999 to 2004, Michael Schumacher's five drivers' titles and other wins for the team and its drivers.

The Italian made two race appearances for Ferrari last year after Felipe Massa was injured in Hungary, but was dropped following some poor performances.

He made his F1 debut for BMS Scuderia Italia in 1993 but the team folded before the end of the season. He returned to racing with Minardi in 1995, then Forti the year after.

Badoer joined Ferrari as a test driver in 1998. The following year he made another F1 comeback for Minardi.

He holds the unfortunate record of starting the most races without scoring a point – 51. He came closest in the 1999 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, when he famously burst into tears after his Minardi failed while he was running fourth.

That was his final year in F1 before his 2009 return almost a decade later. Badoer was back at the wheel of a 2009-spec F60 for his final appearance for the team.

 
 

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