Interview with Luca Badoer
Perhaps you're a bit of an unsung hero Luca, as you've been the test driver with Ferrari through a lot of the recent fantastic success, and I suggest your input is significant. As a racing driver, don't you really yearn to be part of the on-track glory?Thank you. The decision to join Ferrari was the case of moving from a 'not so good' car, to having the chance to drive a good car. I understand that at Formula 1 you need to drive a winning car, such as Ferrari, BAR, or Renault. If you don't, then you don't stand a chance. This was why I moved from Minardi and their 'back of the pack' car to Ferrari. I would love to race on the track; however I also love my job. Working with the team and Michael (Schumacher) gives me the opportunity to make a real impact with the team.
What are the general terms of your contract with Ferrari now? (For instance originally you were able to race for Minardi as well as test for Ferrari)
Luca Badoer I work for Ferrari, and nobody else. Of course if the chance came for me to move in to a driver 1 or 2 position at a winning team I would take deep consideration in to this.
So in practice, how many actual days in a week do you get up to work for Ferrari, and is this mainly at the Ferrari test circuit?
I spend all week with Ferrari, and so far this year I have done 48 days of testing; which amounts to 15,000Km on the track of driving. In total the team probably does around 60,000Km in total testing - I would normally drive 30,000 of these. The other 30,000 would be done by Michael and Rubens (Barrichello).
During the week we normally test in open configurations, these are done by using the computers which will tell us the best way to have the car setup, dependant on the circuit. For example if we have a fast circuit we need certain aerodynamics, if we have a slower circuit with many corners maybe we need a different setup. Prior to a Grand Prix we will do a 'shake down' in the cars which will be used in the race (normally 2 or 3 laps) this means we can check that everything works perfectly.
Last Sunday, Jean Todt said that "working at Ferrari is hard", and he commented about the pressure of working at Ferrari - what is his temperament like when he is under pressure and has he ever taken it out on you?
Yes working for Ferrari is hard, and people do get frustrated. We are used to being number 1 and always winning, of course when we have a problem this isn't the case!
Which elements of the cars, or even the race preparations, do you get involved in developing?
I test the cars, I test new configurations, new parts and I also test the final setup for the drivers. There is no point having a test driver who does not have abilities close to that of the number 1 and 2 drivers within the team. The cars which we use in the race are very similar to the ones which we use in testing. We conduct testing in several circuits which are granted to us by the FIA, and we tend to use Monza and Barcelona in the winter.
Between the car and the pits we have 200 channels of communication, 180 of these is used for the engineers who monitor the engine, gearbox, suspension amongst other things. The other 20 are used by the driver to talk to the pit. Since the rule change the driver has to change everything in the car himself - he has the inner 'feeling' and the ability to change things on the car from the steering wheel.
What's a typical day for Luca Badoer at Ferrari? And do you get time off?
I tend to spend all of my time at the factory, testing or traveling - if the race is outside Europe I will go to the races since I am the spare driver, however if it is inside Europe I don't always attend it since I can easily fly to anywhere within a couple of hours. I get 2 weeks off in August (the entire team does) which allows me to fully escape from the team and work. However, it is back to work quickly.
What measurable and practical difference do you think AMD processors have made to Ferrari's performance?
When AMD joined Ferrari they brought power to the team - we saw an improvement in that we have more possibilities for computational analysis and more power on the telemetry side of things. I believe AMD was the right way to move.
Have there been any issues in using systems based on AMD processors?
Of course, when you move from an older legacy system to a new system it will cause problems. AMD have been very supportive with this making sure that we have access to all of the engineers and developers to enable us to make sure the systems are fully operational.
Do you think that the old or new qualifying methods are better?
I prefer the old method - it is better for the teams and the supporters. The new method tends to lose some of the excitement, since it is a single chance.
Would you call yourself a PC enthusiast and if so what do you do with your PC?
Outside the office of course I have a computer, but I hardly use it, I don't need to - I tend to use the one in the truck when we are on the move, but when I get home I like to escape from all of this.
You're 33 now Luca, what do you think the chances are of you moving from your position of test driver back to race driver?
I would love to go back to being a driver for one of the top teams, but unless the chance arises from a top team to drive for them then I am happy doing my job at Ferrari - it is a very important role.
Do you think technology has got in the way of the driver's skill?
No, technology has helped support the driver, and gives him the ability to have the highest performing technology and fastest cars. Without the computers to analyze the tracks for example, the chances would be a lot less. For example it allows us to have better simulation between computers and people - we can put the corners and straights in to the computer and it works out the best way to conduct the race.
You joined Ferrari in 1997 and as Irvine left Ferrari in 1999 you must have worked with him, how did you get on with Eddie?
I thought Eddie was great, a good driver and very funny. He was always fun to be around.
At the European Grand Prix in 1999 we saw your Minardi gearbox seize about 12 laps from the end, and you were very emotional. Was this the most disappointing race of your F1 career?
This was one of my lowest points, and one which made me want to move teams. Don't get me wrong, I loved working with Minardi, but the chance to move to Ferrari had occurred and this helped me make up my mind. The highest point of my career is every year when we win the championship.
What do you drive on the road? How about motorcycles?
I have a company car - I tend to drive a Maserati or a Ferrari, at the moment I have a Maserati.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to HEXUS Luca
You're welcome!
