Ferrari hires Mika Salo for testing at Suzuka
The Finnish driver is expected to take the wheel of the Ferrari F10 at the Suzuka circuit alongside the 2012 Australian Grand Prix but claims not to know the purpose of this test session.
As Scuderia Ferrari left Barcelona, where the last private test session of the season took place, expressing its pessimism about its chances of performing well in the early races of the 2012 championship, it seems that the team from Maranello has raised the alarm, issuing a general mobilization order. According to the Finnish press, Ferrari has called upon Mika Salo for a two-day test session at the Suzuka circuit, driving the 2010 F10, the most recent single-seater Ferrari can use for testing without breaking the regulations.
The Finn, who replaced Michael Schumacher at Ferrari following his accident in Silverstone in 1999 and an iconic driver of the Prancing Horse in endurance racing, nevertheless confided his astonishment to Finnish media: « I was very surprised when they called me because I haven’t been seriously involved in Formula One for 10 years. I tried to ask them if it was just for show, but they didn’t give me any more information than that. »
One thing is certain, the choice of Suzuka, as the Asian Grand Prix approaches, leaves little doubt about Ferrari’s intentions, but what surprises the Finnish driver most is that the Scuderia has plenty of drivers capable of taking the wheel of a modern F1: “They have Giancarlo Fisichella, Marc Gene, and Andrea Bertolini (as test drivers), so I really don’t understand why it’s not them driving,” marvels the 45-year-old Finnish driver who, however, will not take his test driver role any less seriously, already committing to enhanced physical preparation to lose some weight.
By having Mika Salo drive the F10, Scuderia Ferrari complies with article 22.1 of the FIA sporting regulations governing testing: « Any running conducted by a driver entered in the championship using a car that substantially conforms to the current Formula One technical regulations, including those of the previous year and the coming years, is considered private testing, with the exception of promotional events conducted with tires specifically supplied for this purpose by the designated manufacturer. »
For the record, in September 2010, in accordance with article 22.1 of the sporting regulations, Scuderia Ferrari was able to conduct tests with the 2009 Ferrari F60 to evaluate – and compare – Jules Bianchi and Sergio Perez, without any issues.
