Grapevine: Badoer Could Drive Third Sauber at GPs

Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer can serve as Sauber's third driver on race weekends this season if Ferrari want him to, sporting director Jean Todt said on Monday.

Sauber, as one of the bottom six teams, are permitted to run a third car in Friday practice under new rules, but currently have no plans to do so for financial reasons.

There has been speculation that Italian Badoer, starting his seventh season as Ferrari test driver, could be drafted in at a Sauber team that uses the champions' latest engine, 2003 gearbox and Bridgestone tyres.

Ferrari could gain significantly from having Badoer in a Sauber on race Fridays because it would give them feedback without having to put mileage on their own race engines, which under new regulations must last an entire weekend this year.

Todt said that if Ferrari felt it was in their interests to agree a deal with Peter Sauber, the rules allowed them to.

"Luca is able to test the third car for a team that is between fifth and 10th place," he said. "Whether we decide to do it or not is speculation. But if we decide to do it, we can."

Ferrari are also the only top team on Bridgestone tyres so to have extra data on them from the Sauber would be valuable. Rival teams McLaren, Williams and Renault all run on Michelins. Sauber's new C23 car bears a marked resemblance to last year's Ferrari F2003-GA while their Brazilian driver Felipe Massa spent 2003 as a Ferrari tester.

The new rules stipulate that any driver of a third car must have started fewer than six races in the last two years. Badoer, who holds the record of Grand Prix starts (50) without ever scoring a point, qualifies as he last raced for Minardi in 1999.