Davide Rigon will do two-and-a-half days of the Young Drivers’ Test for Ferrari which starts at Silverstone tomorrow.
Rigon, 26, has been part of Ferrari’s junior driver programme since 2011. He was champion of the Italian and European Formula 3000 championships in 2007.
However his progress was interrupted when he broke his leg in a crash during a GP2 race at Istanbul two years ago. He is jointly leading the Blancpain Endurance Series with Kessel Racing team mates Daniel Zampieri and Cesar Ramos, driving a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Felipe Massa will drive the car on Friday morning to test Pirelli’s new tyres. The team said he is “keen to get back on track after his rather short German Grand Prix”, which he retired from on lap four.
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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
16th July 2013, 14:53
In the end teams prefer to test new parts than simply tyre testing. A measure actually working.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
16th July 2013, 14:55
I don’t think that’s right. Ferrari have got only four drivers in the Ferrari Driver Academy: Jules Bianchi, Raffaele Marciello, Antonio Fuoco and Lance Stroll. As far as I’m aware, Rigon is only a Ferrari-endorsed test driver, not unlike Oliver Turvey at McLaren.
DominikWilde (@dominikwilde)
16th July 2013, 19:19
Correct. Davide Rigon isn’t, and never has been a member of Ferrari’s young driver program. Jules Bianchi, Raffaele Marciello, Antonio Fuoco and Lance Stroll are in the Ferrari Driver Academy, Rigon is one of Scuderia Ferrari’s plethora of test drivers.
the_sigman (@sigman1998)
16th July 2013, 14:57
I like Rigon. He drove for Olympiacos in Superleague Formula :P.
PS: Although it was Guerrieri who got my favourite team’s first victory. Last year he was at the Indy Lights, has anyone heard of him recently?
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
16th July 2013, 15:28
@sigman1998 Here you are. Hope that helped.
the_sigman (@sigman1998)
16th July 2013, 16:09
@wsrgo Thank you
D (@f190)
16th July 2013, 15:48
Rigon will be a busy lad. I give it 3 laps before Massa stacks it.
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
16th July 2013, 17:22
Why isn’t Alonso testing? Am I missing something here?
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
16th July 2013, 22:14
not sure either… Maybe this is still politics and arrangements following that test gate? Or does he feel confident? What is sure is that his 2 direct competitors take part to the event.
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
17th July 2013, 16:07
@spoutnik Being 34 points behind Vettel, Alonso should be working his ass out helping the team get useful data.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
17th July 2013, 16:24
except if ferrari counts on new parts which can only be tried by young drivers?
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
17th July 2013, 16:37
@spoutnik I am not a know-all , but I am having a hard time to understand why you claim some parts can only be tested by young drivers? A more seasoned driver like Alonso will obviously give more consistent data on new parts..
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
17th July 2013, 16:46
@shreyasf1fan If I have well understood the not-so-young drivers cannot test cars with new parts on it. They can only test the tyres. So if ferrari wants to test many parts they have to do it with young drivers?
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
17th July 2013, 16:49
@spoutnik Oh, so you meant FIA’s rules? Sorry, my bad mate.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
17th July 2013, 16:28
@shreyasf1fan He’s working his ass out by covering thousands of kilometres on a bike..
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
17th July 2013, 16:35
Is he going to race with the bike at Hungary, @wsrgo? I am not anti-Alonso..he is my favourite..but clear my confusion here!
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
17th July 2013, 16:48
@shreyasf1fan Well, he missed the Jerez test too, it doesn’t seem to have hurt him overtly..I know these are the new tyres, but he’ll get the feedback from Rigon and Massa, though I do admit, it’s not the same as track testing..
Shreyas Mohanty (@)
17th July 2013, 16:50
@wsrgo That was my initial argument :)
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
17th July 2013, 16:56
@shreyasf1fan I know, I tied myself in knots there trying to refute your point :P
Nixon (@nixon)
16th July 2013, 21:36
I think there are many other drivers that would be a better option.
Can’t they chose bianchi?
Nixon (@nixon)
16th July 2013, 21:39
*choose
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
17th July 2013, 7:51
@nixon There’s a question mark regarding that as I had raised here . Bianchi is contracted to Marussia, and I guess it overrides his Ferrari Driver Academy contract. I stress on ‘I guess’ because I’m not completely sure at this time.
DominikWilde (@dominikwilde)
17th July 2013, 11:20
He’d be allowed to test for Ferrari, just like Ricciardo is allowed to test for Red Bull but they’re giving Rigon the chance because he does more of Ferrari’s simulator work than Bianchi does and he doesn’t have a race seat
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
17th July 2013, 9:49
Why isnt Pedro testing?!
Luca Nuvolari (@nuvolari71)
17th July 2013, 10:36
on holiday with Nando in Ibiza!!