August 22, 2009 | 1863 views
5. Loyalty Award. Since December 1996, Luca has been living the little Italian boy dream, working for Scuderia Ferrari as its official test driver. He had rejected offers from other teams because he really wanted to race for the Ferrari banner. Unfortunately, he was routinely bypassed first by Mika Salo and then by Barrichello, his former whipping boy in F300. In January 2001 in Barcelona, his F1-2000 car shed a wheel, went into a somersault, and landed into a gravel trap. He was on the injured list for two weeks due to injuries to his small neck and vertebrae. For 12 years now, he has helped the Ferrari win eight constructors' championship.
6. Ferrari Favorite. Despite the disappointment on the racetrack, Badoer's great love for the team has always been well reciprocated by the organization that often spoke fondly of him. In Thescudria.net, for example, former Scuderia Ferrari executive director Jean Todt said, "He runs so slow because he thinks too much to the girls...! Luca is a golden guy and his responsibilities inside the team are huge His work is of invaluable help to the two official drivers."
7. Badoer's best. After 49 starts, Luca has yet to earn a championship point in his F1 career. His best finish was at 7th place, at the 1993 San Marino GP. His best grid position ever—12th spot as a Minardi driver at the Hungarian GP where he finished 8th. At 38 years old, Badoer takes over Barrichello's position as the oldest driver on the grid. His 10-year absence in between F1 races (Luca last raced in the Japan Grand Prix in 1999) is second only to Jan Lammers' a decade-and-three-month break (1982 Dutch GP to 1992 Japanese GP).
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