Badoer sure he'll be stronger at Spa

The Italian Ferrari driver, replacing Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix, qualified and finished in last position as he struggled to get to grips with the car after a long period of inactivity.

But Badoer is adamant that now he knows the car, and at a track he knows like Spa, he will be able to raise his game.

"I feel one second more confident, because that was the gap that I improved," said Badoer. "Of course, it is a reasonable step on a track like this. So, as I have said before, I think Spa is a track I know and I will be at a better level.

"I just tell you that this weekend I improved a lot, and in Spa I think it will be much better. I don't know how much better. We will see there, but for sure I will have a better feeling with the car, with the team, with the track and with everything. It will be much better, I promise you."

The 38-year-old conceded the race had been difficult for him but, having made it to the end, he felt it was mission accomplished.

"For sure it was a tough race," he said. "It was tough because F1 is very different compared to 10 years ago. It was tough with the pressure to not make any mistakes.

"The pressure that was the priority for the team to finish the race, so that I could have many more laps and have much more confidence with the car. So at the end we did the programme, and that is all."