FDA: Rain delays Rigon’s first Ferrari F1 test

This is the second year for the Ferrari Driver Academy and the first of this year’s courses got underway with a three day session, although this first day was cut short because of the cold and the rain which affected the smooth running of the programme. There were two track sessions planned – one in the morning for Jules Bianchi and a second in the afternoon for Davide Rigon, both at the wheel of the F60, the car that Scuderia Ferrari campaigned in the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship.

The young Frenchman who this year is working on the development of the Scuderia Ferrari car as well as again tackling the GP2 series only did a few laps. Rigon, who is also available to Scuderia Ferrari this year, for help with developing its car, as well as working for the academy on developing the simulator, had his track debut wiped out by the weather. “A shame to do so few laps today,” said Bianchi, “although as always, I was still able to learn something new from my meeting with the engineers from Maranello, which will come in useful as I try to do my best both in GP2 and in my personal contribution to the work of the Scuderia.”

Davide Rigon was a bit disappointed, as this would have been his first chance to drive a Formula 1 car on track, having spent so much time on the simulator. “But I know I’ll get another chance,” he said, “because getting that practical experience would be really useful to increase my experience which to date has only been a virtual one.”

While Jules studied the telemetry data with the engineers, to analyse the progress made, two other school pupils, Brandon Maisano and Raffaele Marciello, both tackling the Italian F3 championship, underwent a tough training session in the gym, focussing on exercises aimed at increasing resistance and coordination.

Also on this first day of the session, two young drivers, the Spaniard Victor Colom and the Brazilian Nicolas Costa, got the unique opportunity to experience the world of Ferrari, having distinguished themselves in 2010: the former in the Santander Scholarship and the latter in the Fiat Formula Futura. Both men were taking part in their first session with the Ferrari Driver Academy, undergoing physical and psycho-attitudinal tests in the run up to taking to the track at the wheel of a Formula Abarth, on Wednesday at Fiorano. Their presence confirms the Maranello school’s interest in international series and emerging talent, who through careful evaluation can get important advice to help them progress in the hope that one day they move on to a more extensive collaboration.

Head of the programme, Luca Baldisserri is convinced that the Ferrari academy can have a positive effect for those taking part in the junior formulae and those series that provide a final stepping stone to Formula 1. “Apart from nine paying courses for a select number of participants, this year, the Ferrari Driver Academy will support the first ever European Formula Aci-Csai Abarth championship, followed up by two other championships in the Asia-Pacific region and South America which get underway in the autumn of 2011. Our efforts, as we go into the second year of activity for the Ferrari Driver Academy, are aimed at the evaluation and selection of youngsters with a talent for motor sport from around the world.”