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After more than a decade as an official Ferrari
Test Driver Luca Badoer will deputise for Felipe
Massa in Valencia in a week and a half's time
after Michael Schumacher cancelled his F1
comeback due to continuing injuries he sustained
during a Superbike testing accident in February.
Schumacher
announced the dramatic news that he had cancelled his F1
comeback with a statement posted on his official website
today.
"Yesterday
evening, I had to inform
Ferrari President Luca di
Montezemolo and Team
Principal Stefano Domenicali
that unfortunately I'm not
able to step in for Felipe,"
said the seven times German world champion. "I really tried everything to
make that temporary comeback
possible, however, much to
my regret it didn't work
out. Unfortunately we did
not manage to get a grip on
the pain in the neck which
occurred after the private
F1-day in Mugello, even if
medically or therapeutically
we tried everything
possible.
"The
consequences
of the
injuries
caused by
the
bike-accident
in February,
fractures in
the area of
head and
neck,
unfortunately
have turned
out to be
still too
severe. That
is why my
neck cannot
stand the
extreme
stresses
caused by
Formula 1
yet,"
continued
Schumacher.
"This
are the
clear
results of
the
examinations
we did on
the course
of the past
two weeks
and the
final
examination
yesterday
afternoon.
As there
were no
improvements
after the
day in
Mugello, I
decided at
short notice
on Sunday to
do that
thorough
examination
already
yesterday.
"I am
disappointed to the core. I
am awfully sorry for the
guys of Ferrari and for all
the fans which crossed
fingers for me. I can only
repeat that I tried
everything that was within
my power. All I can do now
is to keep my fingers
crossed for the whole team
for the coming races," the
40-year-old German
concluded.
Ferrari quickly followed up
the news that Schumacher had
cancelled his comeback with
the announcement that
Massa's vacant seat in
Valencia will be filled by
long-term team employee
Badoer, who started work as
a Ferrari test driver back
in 1997. "With Michael
Schumacher now being
unavailable to stand in for
Felipe Massa, as from the
forthcoming European Grand
Prix, Scuderia Ferrari
Marlboro announces that car
number three will be driven by
Luca Badoer," read an
official statement posted on
the Ferrari website. Now 38
years old Badoer won the
F3000 championship in 1992
before graduating to F1 with
BMS Scuderia Italia the next
year, starting his career
off in the top flight at the
South African Grand Prix. He
subsequently drove for the
Minardi and Forti Corse
teams before his time in F1
petered out at the end of
the 1999 season after 48
grand prix starts that
yielded no points finishes.
"I am very
unhappy that a problem means
that Michael cannot return
to racing," commented Luca
di Montezemolo this
afternoon. "In the past
few days, I could appreciate
his great efforts and
extraordinary motivation
which had spread through the
team and fans around the
world. No doubt his return
would have been good for
Formula 1 and I am sure it
would have seen him fighting
for wins again. In the name
of Ferrari and all the fans,
I wish to thank him for the
strong attachment he
displayed for the team in
these circumstances. In
agreement with Stefano
Domenicali, we have
therefore decided to give
Luca Badoer the chance to
race for the Scuderia after
he has put in so many years
of hard work as a test
driver."
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