22.04.2004 MOTOGP STAR VALENTINO ROSSI TRIED OUT AN F1 FERRARI AT FIORANO AS MICHAEL SCHUMACHER AND LUCA BADOER SHAKEDOWN THE CARS AHEAD OF IMOLA

Yesterday at Fiorano saw the shakedown of the cars that Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro will use in this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix at the “Enzo e Dino Ferrari” circuit at Imola.

Luca Badoer and Michael Schumacher were on track. A total of 16 laps were completed, eight of them on the short version of the track. The best time on the day was a 58.433.

Also present at the shakedown was the MotoGP rider, Valentino Rossi who did a few laps at the wheel of one of the cars.

"It was a very exciting day for me," declared Rossi. "Driving an F1 car was an amazing experience and it was great for me to follow in Schumacher's footsteps for a day. I would like to thank Ferrari for having given me this opportunity."

Meanwhile Schumacher and the Ferrari team are eagerly looking forward to Imola. "There are some races that have something special about them". Michael Schumacher could not hide his enthusiasm for the Santerno circuit.

For the six time World Champion, "Imola is practically our home circuit, Ferrari has always been acclaimed here and the fans make themselves heard like nowhere else. They really give us a boost.

"We shouldn't forget," continued Michael, "That the link between Imola and Maranello comes from the fact that the Autodrome of Santerno is named Enzo and Dino Ferrari. I am also the Ambassador of the Republic of San Marino and so I feel even more motivated."

The link is not only one of affection: "Imola is one of our favourite circuits and we have often managed to get good results here. The layout of the track puts the brakes under some stress and also the engine, but we already know this and, probably, so do the majority of the other teams. It for this reason that we will have a new aerodynamic setup. We have also tested very much on this track in the last few weeks."

On paper it is not a GP that seems very difficult, then. "Well, I think we can approach this weekend in a positive frame of mind for the reasons already mentioned, and not only for the good start to the season we have had. Wanting the Ferrari fans to remain calm he went on, "We will do all we can not to break the series of victories, on this there is no doubt!" Words of a champ.

At the end of the day, Schumacher and Barrichello also did a few laps each at the wheel of a Maserati MC12, which is undergoing a development test program at the circuit this week.

Circuit: Fiorano track, 2.976 km - short course 1.413 km; Drivers: Luca Badoer and Michael Schumacher; Car: F2004; Weather: air temperature 16/20 °C, track 20/35 °C. Sunny.