Luca Badoer will spend two days at the wheel of the Ferrari F60 ahead of his F1 comeback at Valencia next week. According to Ferrari:
Tomorrow and Tuesday Luca will be part of a video shooting for promotional purposes behind the F60’s wheel at the Fiorano race track.
Isn’t it convenient the team should need to shoot this material in the days running up to his comeback?
Still, you have to wonder if there would be more of a fuss if it was Michael Schumacher getting two days in the F60. Particularly after Williams and the Red Bull teams moved to block him from testing (which two-thirds of F1 Fanatic readers agreed with).
It should at least give Badoer a chance to familiarise himself with the cockpit of the car. He did not drive it prior to the onset of the in-season testing ban, and if he has conducted any of Ferrari’s allocated aerodynamic test days since then it seems to have gone unrecorded.
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Red Andy
16th August 2009, 21:50
The rules say you can do promotional work in-season, so it’s the same for everybody. Very different to trying to get an exemption to the rules like they were trying to do with Schumacher.
Maybe the rules should be changed so you can’t use a current car in in-season promotions, but for now that’s how they are.
TommyB
17th August 2009, 15:34
Why weren’t people allowed new cars at Goodwood?
HounslowBusGarage
16th August 2009, 22:05
So what would the rules say if a driver pounded round for a few days for promotional video purposes, trying one new part after another on the car to ‘see which one looked best’?
rampante
16th August 2009, 22:16
Well said. Can just see it now, does this doubble defuser look better than the first one? lets just do another 6 hour photo shoot!
Xanathos
16th August 2009, 22:20
i think he has to use a special tyre only for promo events…so the car will be way off its usual pace, not delivering any useful data.
But it might help him to familiarise with the cockpit.
Wesley
16th August 2009, 22:46
Thank you HounslowBusGarage for reading my thoughts.
Ferrari never ceases to amaze me with their sneakiness.They have no shame.
Blue_linksys
17th August 2009, 7:16
Hi Wesley, I think you misread HounslowBus…’s comment to be against Ferrari!! Hahaha, I feel for you, he’s just commenting how the rules could be bent!! shame on you ferrari haters for being so dumb!!
Wesley
17th August 2009, 19:43
@ Blue_linksys
…and I too feel for you.You obviously didn’t read into the sarcasm in Hounslow’s comment….and you have to resort to calling someone dumb that you don’t even know.
James_mc
16th August 2009, 22:21
Surely that counts, given that Brawn and McLaren couldn’t take their current cars to Goodwood? Or is it perhaps a straight-line test but with invited press?
Leaf
16th August 2009, 22:23
The rules also say that the promotional shoot limits the car to 100kph. (60mph) Other than familiarizing himself with the cockpit there is nothing to be learned from this. It is within the rules. If it weren’t Williams would be whining about it. (Red Bull too)
Tiomkin
16th August 2009, 22:55
And should Williams and Red Bull turn a blind eye to rule breaking? That is what RULES, how ever stupid, are for, to be followed by ALL.
James_mc
16th August 2009, 23:00
It’s Ferrari, so yes you are supposed to! :-)
pSynrg
16th August 2009, 23:46
Yup, nothing can be learnt from this – but who is going to make sure he doesn’t exceed 100kph?
Familiarisation with the cockpit does not require the car to run…
In fact Ferrari could mock a cockpit up that he could take home?
gabal
17th August 2009, 10:52
I think you got it wrong, distance is limited in tests, not speed (if I’m not mistaken).
So – they can have a day of
testingpromotional shooting but they have to use non-2009 spec tyres and they must not do over 100 kilometers. That relates to roughly 33 laps…bwells
17th August 2009, 0:11
The thing is why couldn’t they use Marc Gene for the shoot? I mean as far as getting familurized with the cockpit I’m sure Ferarri has a pretty slick simulator to use.. so that would do just fine… I think it’s Ferarri looking into a loophole and again making F1 look silly… oh and don’t be fooled my friends… if Michael was still on for his comeback… it would of been him in the car… I do hope there’s some officials watching…
Phil
17th August 2009, 17:41
Most of the teams have pretty poor simulators as until this season there wasn’t really the need for them. The two exceptions are McLaren who have spent tens of millions and have (apparently) the best simulator, and Red Bull who called in an outside firm to do it.
Alonso commented that the Renault one was like a PS2 compared to the McLaren one when he switched teams, take of that what you will.
Tom
17th August 2009, 0:14
Don’t you just love loopholes?
F1Yankee
17th August 2009, 0:15
how is this different than other teams driving thru the streets of moscow or wherever? nothing to see, move along please.
Leaf
17th August 2009, 1:19
Right on F1 Yankee
Max should resign now!!!
17th August 2009, 0:24
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Another one for the Cosa Nostra Scuderia!!!
bwells
17th August 2009, 0:39
The difference is they’re using this years car… the road shows always use last years car… :)
matt
17th August 2009, 0:39
The testing rules are ridiculous anyway. It really bugged me that Brawn couldn’t run Goodwood because the only car the team had available to them was the current one and could not be ‘tested’ in season. If that was not allowed, which would have served no productive purpose other than to entertain and PROMOTE, why are Ferrari allowed to drive the F60?
Patrickl
17th August 2009, 8:25
Brawn either wasn;t clever enough to think of the “promotion” rule or they simply didn’t want to waste the money (seeing their predicament at the time) and used a simple excuse not to come.
matt
17th August 2009, 11:59
They were there, they just weren’t allowed to run the cars.
Patrickl
17th August 2009, 12:24
OK, so they weren’t clever enough to go for the “promptional event” clause. Or they forgot (or weren’t able) to get the special tyres in time.
Ned Flanders
17th August 2009, 1:11
Same old Ferrari, always cheating.
But if what Leaf says above is true and the cars are limited to 60mph, he isn’t going to learn much more than he would sat stationary in the garage.
Armando666
17th August 2009, 11:45
same old ferrari…
your an idiot! the guy can’t test or gain anything but time in the cockpit at the speeds he’s running…and cheating…CHEATING!…please explain to me how this is cheating?…oh wait…you can’t…why…coz you know s***…so over people with nothing factual to say and base the majority of their comments on emotion.
McPhil
17th August 2009, 13:28
Talk about “basing their comments on emotion…
How can you say Ned knows nothing? Do you know him? Have you met him? Do you think he started watching F1 yesterday? Please tell us. Otherwise leave.
Ned Flanders
17th August 2009, 18:59
Thanks McPhil. Armando… hmm.. a Ferrari fan by any chance? Presumably you haven’t read the 2nd line of my comment?
TommyB
17th August 2009, 15:37
It’s not cheating but yes Ferrari are always sneaky and manage to find a loop-hole
peterg
17th August 2009, 1:15
Storm in a tea cup, it is hardly a test. Besides, test driving or not, Badoer’s decade away from F1 “racing” will be the biggest hurdle to overcome.
He is highly experienced on the Ferrari test track but very rusty on the race track. Nobody has offered a reason as to why Badoer was chosen ahead of Gene.
Leaf
17th August 2009, 1:23
Maybe Badoer is retiring at the end of the year. Anything is possible. Maybe because he has been a tester for them for 10 years and its a nice thank you. Who knows? Anyhow it would be a popular thing to let Gene race the car in Spain. Again, don’t expect too much from Luca in the race.
Aaron Shearer
17th August 2009, 1:31
As far as I’m aware, they’re giving him the drive as he’s been a loyal test driver for them for the past 10 years. I’m happy for him, he deserves it. It cannot be easy sitting on the sidelines for all that years.
That’s Ferrari for you isn’t it, they always know how to exploit a loophole in the rules.
mp4-19b
17th August 2009, 3:18
I dunno for what purpose they are shooting this commercial? could it be for shell? or maybe Mubadala. I also find it very very very very strange that ferrari are not using their “own” world champion Kimi Raikkonen to promote their brand ;) after all with massa gone, he’s their number one driver. now tell me who would like to promote their brand using their test driver? that too a driver who hasn’t raced for a decade? why couldn’t they have used kimi? he’s a world champion after all. leaf has said above that the cars are limited to 100kmph, but for the ad to look really nice & appealing, cars have to reach very high speeds for the high definition motion sensor camera to have any effect. driving these f1 cars at 100kmph to shoot an ad is as good as a photoshoot of a stationary car. Knowing ferrari, i would say they are upto something & they must be monitored very closely. will this ad featuring badoer ever be released??
here’s a good ad featuring kimi
http://megavideo.com/?v=U4D8FTT5
Max should resign now!!!
17th August 2009, 4:27
Totally agree with you. Great post.
Aardvark
17th August 2009, 11:01
Maybe they want the driver to say a few words during the event.
That would be a good reason for not using Kimi.
HG
17th August 2009, 3:24
well maybe the main problem is with the rules writters. I don’t mean to start an FIA hate feast, but surley if you ban testing, but allow promotional videos to be shot, is it any supprise, that sooner or later someone might try it on?
al_amana
17th August 2009, 4:37
Good to see the Ferrari haters out in force again!!!
When Brawn found a loophole to allow them to use a double diffuser it was branded “clever” by all and sundry, including Keith. When Ferrari find a loophole to allow a replacement driver to get some “alone time”, with the car he will be trusting his life to, Ferrari are accused of cheating. Smacks of sour grapes…….
mp4-19b
17th August 2009, 5:07
Its a promotional ad, isn’t it? As long as they adhere to the rules no one, including keith has any problems with it. But knowing ferrari, they always seem to put their toe over the line. Teams usually use their number 1 driver for shooting ads, i’ve never seen a formula one ad featuring a test driver. supposing this ad is promoting say shell or martini, tell me who would they prefer promoting them? a world champion or a driver who’s yet to score a point in formula one? All that i’m suggesting is that,this ad must be monitored closely. Yes i know that the current ban against testing is stupid, & u gotta blame ferrari & jean todt for that.
Max should resign now!!!
17th August 2009, 6:17
Don’t forget Ferrari had a secret VETO so calling them cheaters is not that much of a thing.
DC
17th August 2009, 6:24
Yes, that is true that Ferrari is often singled out while teams like McLaren are given a free pass on this site. But in all fairness, there is no claim for neutrality here. Part of a blog’s appeal is the opinion of the writer. Blogs don’t pretend to be unbiased news sources – they are the thoughts of the writer. So we get Keith’s opinion on things like this. I don’t always agree, but his opinion is always interesting.
al_amana
17th August 2009, 6:33
Judging by the responses to my opinion, the inverse of the last comment and one that is perhaps applicable to F1 and Ferrari fans like myself, is that our opinions are invalid and even not that interesting?!?!
Poor me (and Ferrari) always made to be the victim in this cruel world that is Formula One……
DC
17th August 2009, 8:22
I’m a Ferrari fan too, by the way. ;) Coulthard was my favourite (hence the name), but Kimi has been #2 for years and has now inherited my top spot.
Fans like us are free to give our opinions in the comments, and of course Keith accepts guest writers. If someone wants to write a pro-Ferrari post, I’m sure he would take a look at it.
Blogs are a place for sharing and debating opinions. It would be no fun if all the opinions were the same.
Max should resign now!!!
17th August 2009, 8:40
Ferrari, victims??? good one!
sasbus
17th August 2009, 17:42
Definitely true! If anyone had the decency to read the Ferrari statement then much of this discussion would be vapour. But then again you have to accept this site for what it is BIASED!
Incidentally the unbiased Autosport has got the full story at:
Net Sticks
17th August 2009, 7:02
Is this some kind of a joke?!….
Are the other teams and FIA sleeping?….
What a sham!…
Sam B
17th August 2009, 7:15
Get over it, it’s _Luca Badoer_. He’s there making the case for Sakon Yamomoto to be given the Ferrari seat for the rest of the season.
Blue_linksys
17th August 2009, 7:23
U’ve got a nice anti-ferrari campaign and good amt of followers keith. Such a waste this great work has to be put to a useless and belittle cause
Lia
17th August 2009, 8:19
Leaf, could you please make a reference to this specific rule about 100 km/h? Because 22.1 sporting regs doesn’t say anything.
GeeMac
17th August 2009, 8:28
It’s all fair and above board. Like someone said above, he’ll be running on ultra-hard tyres, so Ferrari won’t gain anything. This article on the F1 website seems to suggest that he’ll be limited to 100 kilometers of running, not 100 kp/h. Some clarify on the rules would be appreciated.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/8/9746.html
Luca’s major problem isn’t going to be lack of tracktime in the F60, it’s going to be lack of racing over the last 10 years. Pounding round Fiorano in testing is one thing, racing for Ferrari, and all the pressure that comes with it, is quite another.
The sri lankan
17th August 2009, 8:53
rules are rules. highly doubt a 100Km/H promo run is going to constitiue to atestdrive. but im wandering why Ferrari is allowed tis when Jaime Algusari isnt.
gabal
17th August 2009, 9:45
What exactly are the rules about this promotional runs? I know they have to use a tyre which doesn’t relate at all to ones whit which they would race but is it limited in number of days? I know Williams usually shoot a one-day for promotion on some spanish track.
Besides, he can simply put on Kimi’s or Massa’s helmet – honestly, who will know the difference while he is sitting in a cockpit?
Patrickl
17th August 2009, 12:21
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/sporting_regulations/8713/fia.html
22.1 a) Track testing shall be considered any track running time undertaken by a competitor entered in the
Championship with the exception of :
i) promotional or demonstration events carried out using tyres provided specifically for this purpose by the appointed supplier ;
marc
17th August 2009, 11:32
OMMMGGGG why does he get a test drive?
that means Jaime Alguersuari is allowed to get a few days testing….maybe even give every test driver for every team (just test drivers) a few days testing…just to be fare
ohplease
17th August 2009, 11:58
Oh please… Cut the c, everyone. I bet that this promotional shoot will be supervised by someone from FIA and that there are some limits set. As someone said – if that was wrong or outside the rules, Williams would whine their lungs out about it.
Whether you like Ferrari or not, Luca Badoer has been the unluckiest driver in F1 history and he deserves a chance to race once again before he retires. So i’ll be more than happy if he scores some points. Some say he hasn’t much race experience – i don’t think that is something you forget easily ;) Plus most modern tracks are places without much space to overtake so the qualifications are what count.
Let Luca drive even if you hate Ferrari – such veterans and loyal people should be praised, regardless of which team they’re on.
GooddayBruce
17th August 2009, 12:25
If it is this easy – why all the nonsense about asking for an exemption for Schumacher?
gabal
17th August 2009, 12:58
They haven’t found this loophole before. Besides, maybe they thought they could get away with real testing, not this…
Red Andy
17th August 2009, 13:27
Because promotional events, as outlined within the FIA regs, are obviously useless for a) driver familiarisation and b) part development.
Ral
17th August 2009, 13:19
Does anyone ever read any of the other comments before spouting their own opinion and so re-hashing the same thing for the umpteenth time?
Cheeky or not, it’s within the rules, he’ll be using ultra hard tyres supplied by Bridgestone specifically for these purposes and he won’t be able to drive faster than 100km/h. Which basically means he can’t take off the pitlane limiter. I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
VXR
17th August 2009, 14:20
Actually,you should have read them yourself.He will be limited to 100kms in distance and not 100kph in speed.
Patrickl
17th August 2009, 15:54
Does it matter though? Testing only 20 laps will not do much good either.
Actually, I still haven’t seen verification of any distance (or speed) limit. As said before, it’s not in the written regulations.
Still, just the extra hard tyre compound alone probably makes the test pretty useless.
Ral
18th August 2009, 16:37
I did, and as far as I understand it’s speed, not distance that’s limited. But I’m just as unsure about that as anyone else in here. It just gets a bit silly when almost half of the comments say the same thing using only slightly different wording.
GeorgeK
17th August 2009, 14:28
Much ado about nothing, it’s within the rules and perfectly acceptable. They should be admired for mitigating their problems by maximizing what’s allowed by the regs.
PJA
17th August 2009, 14:35
Can someone clarify something for me, the promotional runs teams are allowed is the 100km distance limit the total for the whole season or per event?
Autosport says
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77721
Which seems to suggest it is 100km per day. If this is the case I think it a pity that teams have not used their current cars at events such as Goodwood, but if it is 100km for the whole season, which seems more likely, you could see why they would still use last years cars.
Patrickl
17th August 2009, 15:58
Ferrari already did a two day promotional event (commercial shoot) in Bahrain in Februari. With both Raikkonen and Massa IIRC.
Still wonder where they got the 100km limit from.