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[Denthúl]

I'm sure that a lot of the drivers Ferrari are looking at have plenty of experience of Monza as well, though... I do feel sorry for Badoer, however. He clearly loves racing and would love to drive for Ferrari at Monza, so is begging and pleading in public for another chance.

Really, it would be cruel of Ferrari to drop Luca before Monza. I mean, what Italian doesn't dream of driving for Ferrari at Monza? It would crush the man and, to be honest, I doubt anyone other than Piquet or Bourdais would score at Monza, so let Luca live the dream. If he doesn't perform, he himself said he'd get out of there. But Monza is his best chance of scoring that elusive world championship point. His speed and talent is deserving of more than a single point, although he has never had much opportunity to get them.

If this had happened last year, Badoer would have been consistently in the points. It's only the testing ban, and the fact he hasn't raced for so long, that has left him lagging at the back. This frustrates me more than anything.

[JamesD89]

I'm sure that a lot of the drivers Ferrari are looking at have plenty of experience of Monza as well, though... I do feel sorry for Badoer, however. He clearly loves racing and would love to drive for Ferrari at Monza, so is begging and pleading in public for another chance.

Really, it would be cruel of Ferrari to drop Luca before Monza. I mean, what Italian doesn't dream of driving for Ferrari at Monza? It would crush the man and, to be honest, I doubt anyone other than Piquet or Bourdais would score at Monza, so let Luca live the dream. If he doesn't perform, he himself said he'd get out of there. But Monza is his best chance of scoring that elusive world championship point. His speed and talent is deserving of more than a single point, although he has never had much opportunity to get them.

If this had happened last year, Badoer would have been consistently in the points. It's only the testing ban, and the fact he hasn't raced for so long, that has left him lagging at the back. This frustrates me more than anything.

Sympathies don't win you championships and this would set a bad precedent.

[Denthúl]

I'm sure that a lot of the drivers Ferrari are looking at have plenty of experience of Monza as well, though... I do feel sorry for Badoer, however. He clearly loves racing and would love to drive for Ferrari at Monza, so is begging and pleading in public for another chance.

Really, it would be cruel of Ferrari to drop Luca before Monza. I mean, what Italian doesn't dream of driving for Ferrari at Monza? It would crush the man and, to be honest, I doubt anyone other than Piquet or Bourdais would score at Monza, so let Luca live the dream. If he doesn't perform, he himself said he'd get out of there. But Monza is his best chance of scoring that elusive world championship point. His speed and talent is deserving of more than a single point, although he has never had much opportunity to get them.

If this had happened last year, Badoer would have been consistently in the points. It's only the testing ban, and the fact he hasn't raced for so long, that has left him lagging at the back. This frustrates me more than anything.

Sympathies don't win you championships and this would set a bad precedent.

Nothing will win Ferrari the championship this year and only Massa could really help them take third place (now that Kovalainen has actually started scoring over at McLaren) so they have nothing to lose by risking one more non-score...

[texasmr2]

Badoer is absurd! It's absurd that he is so far off the pace when Grosjean and Alguesuari are doing fine!

[billindenver]

I tell you, I am shocked to see him say this. He has put forth a pathetic effort in the car. To finish last is every racer's nightmare...to finish last and behind rookies with a tenth your experience while your teammate in an identical car WINS the race is a worse nightmare, but to finish last, well behind the rookies and your teammate in front of your home crowd on a track you know like the back of your hand...that is the kind of nightmare that has drivers choking on the business end of a semi-automatic. No thanks. If I were to suck as badly as he quite obviously, undeniably, without question does....I would NOT want to run in front of an italian crowd in a Ferrari. No way in hell. Where is the man's pride? The team needs to save him from himself....and retire him immediately. IMMEDIATELY.

[JamesD89]

I'm sure that a lot of the drivers Ferrari are looking at have plenty of experience of Monza as well, though... I do feel sorry for Badoer, however. He clearly loves racing and would love to drive for Ferrari at Monza, so is begging and pleading in public for another chance.

Really, it would be cruel of Ferrari to drop Luca before Monza. I mean, what Italian doesn't dream of driving for Ferrari at Monza? It would crush the man and, to be honest, I doubt anyone other than Piquet or Bourdais would score at Monza, so let Luca live the dream. If he doesn't perform, he himself said he'd get out of there. But Monza is his best chance of scoring that elusive world championship point. His speed and talent is deserving of more than a single point, although he has never had much opportunity to get them.

If this had happened last year, Badoer would have been consistently in the points. It's only the testing ban, and the fact he hasn't raced for so long, that has left him lagging at the back. This frustrates me more than anything.

Sympathies don't win you championships and this would set a bad precedent.

Nothing will win Ferrari the championship this year and only Massa could really help them take third place (now that Kovalainen has actually started scoring over at McLaren) so they have nothing to lose by risking one more non-score...

Massa, or Schumacher, but yes you're right - 3rd place is the best they can hope for. But you don't change your mentality for the remainder of a bad season unless you intend to carry that mentality through to next year.

[myownalias]

I still find it odd that Luca Badoer is so woefully slow in a race winning car, even a complete F1 rookie should be able to get in the points in the F60. If he does race in Monza and finishes stone last again he won't make it to the Singapore GP as the Tifosi will lynch him! Badoer's issue is that he hasn't actively raced in 10 years (I believe I am right in saying that) in any series, maybe if he kept his skills sharp by racing in F2 or even F3 he would be in a better position!

[Gilles 27]

he's already done one race too more than he deserves imo

[scotty]

Massa, or Schumacher, but yes you're right - 3rd place is the best they can hope for. But you don't change your mentality for the remainder of a bad season unless you intend to carry that mentality through to next year.

Ross Brawn would have something to say about that, methinks.

[Amanda]

Both Nelson Piquet jnr. and Sebastien Bourdais managed higher placed finishes than last, in far inferior cars to Badoer, and were dropped. It's ridiculous to keep him in the Ferrari car which is clearly capable of not just points, but podiums. From what I saw this weekend he hasn't really improved at all. His excuse in Valencia was that he didn't know the track and therefore he'd be better at Spa, now he's saying the same about Monza I realise that he hasn't driven in a long time but ultimately it's a case of whether he can perform, not why he can't.

[myownalias]

He does need to go; if any of us performed so poorly in our real world jobs we would be fired. Although I blame Ferrari to a certain extent as they like to keep their reserve/test drivers exclusive to the team (with the exception of Gene at Le Mans), not allowing them to race in other series to keep their skills sharp; hell they don't even give their reserve drivers the opportunities most times drafting in a driver from another team like Giancarlo Fisichella (maybe) or former drivers like Michael Schumacher.

[JamesD89]

Massa, or Schumacher, but yes you're right - 3rd place is the best they can hope for. But you don't change your mentality for the remainder of a bad season unless you intend to carry that mentality through to next year.

Ross Brawn would have something to say about that, methinks.

And what would he say?

[Jabberwocky]

I find it strange that Ferrari are having so much trouble filling there race seat, lets face it how many F1 drivers would drive for them for free. Also what is the point of a 3rd and in ferraris team 4th driver if when they are needed they are not called up. if they are then they do as well as Badoer who Ferrari has said id faster than Gene.... Why Ferrari have you let yourself get into this position? Lets face it for the last 2 races you could of saved money and just not bothered bringing the second car to the races.

[Amanda]

I find it strange that Ferrari are having so much trouble filling there race seat, lets face it how many F1 drivers would drive for them for free. Also what is the point of a 3rd and in ferraris team 4th driver if when they are needed they are not called up. if they are then they do as well as Badoer who Ferrari has said id faster than Gene.... Why Ferrari have you let yourself get into this position? Lets face it for the last 2 races you could of saved money and just not bothered bringing the second car to the races.

Yup, I don't understand it either. Almost any driver would jump at the chance to drive for Ferrari. Why they don't have a decent backup is baffling.

[texasmr2]

In all fairness MG who has the most experience with the F60 should be given a shot. It seem's to be just one of those unexpected situation's the team has not prepared for and is paying for now.