Luca, Max is faster than you.
As a die-hard F1 fan, you have probably already heard of Luca Badoer. The Italian was in 1992, champion in the F3000 class, say but what is now the GP2 Formula 2. For each champion in the highest opstapklasse the battery has but one purpose and that is the F1.
Unlike some other drivers, it was Luca, indeed, to that last step up. In 1993 he came out for Scuderia Italia. One of the many hopeless small teams that then still a large part of the field preparing. The poor team made the season that year. When the Italians announced to merge with Minardi, it was decided in the last races in Japan and Australia, but to skip. It meant that Badoer, who in San Marino are best finished with a seventh place, without the seat was to sit for 1994.
In 1995, Luca, however, back, with -yes – Minardi Scuderia Italia. But even with joint Italian forces remained a small player in the sport. Badoer got no further than two eighth places. You would say ‘can’, but also in 1996 knew Badoer the way up not to find. For the team of Forti he came that year in six races in action. In four races, he managed to Forti FG01B, respectively Forti FG03 not to qualify, and after ten races held this team during the season to exist.
Maybe there were for 1997 no seats available, or maybe Badoer himself had enough of all kneuzenteams. Anyway, he drove that year, once again, no F1. At least, not in races. Instead, he departed from to the FIA GT championship and he signed a contract as test driver at Ferrari.
But, in 1999, crept out of the blood yet again where it can be and returned to Luca back in the Formula 1. He could again go to Minardi and was a teammate of Marc Gené. Later would both be still for a very long time test driver for Ferrari. In fact, the 43-year-old Gené is that technically still, even though he actually never comes into action.
When Michael Schumacher got his leg broke, it seemed equally logical that Badoer in his place would take. But Ferrari chose for Salo. Salo drove in Germany on the victory, but then went meekly to the side for team-mate Irvine, who is still odds on for the title. Irvine, however, was not a champion and Salo would be in F1 never to win a race. Badoer was meanwhile just the season for Minardi and scored, thanks in part to a dramatic uitvalbeurt from P4 in the Grand Prix of Europe, again zero points. It seemed the final end of his racing career in the F1. 48 races, no points.
But then skipping we suddenly to ten years. In 2009, Ferrari a replacement is needed for the injured Felipe Massa. As always there is lots of speculation about who the seat gets in the red car. That year the traditional Ferrari B-team Sauber, however, from BMW, so a driver of the Swiss cajoling is this time no option. So get the already 38-year-old Badoer, in contrast to 10 years earlier, somewhat surprisingly, still the chance of a lifetime to be in any case to score points.
However, it is a failure of the button. Badoer is much too slow and turns out to be totally not from the feet to the troublesome Ferrari F60. That car was, anyway, not a cannon, but Kimi and Felipe knew, in any case, regular points and some podiums to score. Badoer is there, not even close.
In Belgium, the contrast is with Kimi too big for Ferrari to ignore. Kimi wins that year, the only race for the team, Badoer dare not full throttle through Eau Rouge. It means the end of the ride for Luca, that for the remaining races is being replaced by compatriot Fisichella. 50 races, no points. Incidentally, showed both physical, in Spa second for Force India, in that remaining races that the F60 really a cheating bitch. He is doing better than Badoer, but scores also no points for the team.
Anyway, after this short intro, we come to Max. Badoer had even one sweet memory of his time at Ferrari (okay, maybe more, but let’s say one). In 2001, he rode in a demo for Ferrari at Zandvoort, an unofficial lap record: 1:19.880. You guessed it: Max did just a 1:19.511 in a Red Bull RB8 with a V8. The new asphalt has him undoubtedly helped.
According to the Circuit director and Roland Kleve is Max with that for now ‘the fastest man ever’ at Zandvoort. Separately, because, to me, did Nelson Piquet during the last real F1 race weekend in 1985, a 1:11.074 in the Brabham-BMW BT54. But well, that will be something with a different layout. We still have no response from Luca on this post, but he will be at this moment undoubtedly drenched in Limoncello.