Badoer re-signs for Ferrari

Ferrari has retained the services of Luca Badoer as its test driver until 2006, and has also named the Italian as reserve driver during grand prix weekends, ahead of the Scuderia's other recent signing Marc Gene

autosport.com staff Jan 12, 2005, 1:54 PM

Badoer last raced in Formula 1 for Minardi in 1999 and has been Ferrari's official test driver since 1997, but Gene has more recent race experience having stood in for the injured Ralf Schumacher at Williams last season.

"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 said at Ferrari's traditional pre-season press conference at the Madonna Di Campiglio ski resort in Italy.

"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.

With the news that Mika Salo is set to complete some testing for Ferrari during 2005, as revealed by autosport.com on Monday, the team will now have access to six drivers for development work - race drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, Badoer, Gene, Salo and factory Maserati GT driver Andrea Bertolini.