Formula One news

Ferrari satisfied with Badoer performance

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali admits that the performance of Luca Badoer can improve but is content with the Italian's first Formula One outing in one of the Scuderia's cars. The Treviso driver was almost two seconds off the quickest pace in the European Grand Prix on his way to crossing the line last of the seventeen finishers.

Seventeenth and a lap down was the best Felipe Massa's replacement could do in Valencia as Ferrari's longest serving Ferrari driver attempted to acclimatize to a car which has changed greatly since pre-season testing.

Badoer is expected to continue for Ferrari in Belgium next weekend

"I'm very happy because we have arrived at a point that we fixed when we decided I would take Felipe's place," Badoer commented. "This is the first step. I drove, drove, drove, drove - Friday, Saturday, Sunday! I actually had a good start - at the third corner I was 14th and then a Renault kicked my ass so I lost the position from that."

"First of all, it was important for him to finish," Domenicali explained to the BBC. "It was difficult; we need to stay cool and calm and we know that it was important for Luca to finish, I respect that.

"I'm sure that we have seen a Luca that has not really shown up but he has real potential. Apart from the fact that he was racing for the first time in a long time, from a psychological point of view the pressure on him was very high, even if we didn't create it. We will speak together. I think we will discuss it tonight but I think it is important to keep up with Luca because he is a real team player and this is important at Ferrari."

Domenicali added that he expects to see Badoer back in the car for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa next weekend.

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