Badoer Extends Deal with Ferrari

Ferrari have extended test driver Luca Badoer's contract for a further two years, keeping him with the Formula One World Champions until 2006.

Italian Badoer has been with Ferrari since 1997 and his new deal brings him in line with the rest of the Ferrari team whose current deals run until 2006.

"This deal will take me up to nine years with Ferrari and I hope we can continue to enjoy as much success as we have in the past few years," Badoer told a news conference at the team's annual winter retreat.

Badoer has been handed the title 'third driver' making clear his position in the pecking order ahead of new test driver Marc Gene.

The changes to Grand Prix testing rules will put an increased workload on the teams' test drivers but Badoer said the arrival of former Williams test driver Gene has eased the burden.

"When I first saw the test programme I was horrified but then with Marc on board and some other help it is really not going to be much more than last year for me," he said.