Ferrari recruit de la Rosa and confirm car launch date

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Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Circuit of the Americas, 2012Pedro de la Rosa has joined Ferrari to help the team develop their simulator.

De la Rosa raced for HRT last season prior to the team’s closure. He previously spent eight seasons as a test driver for McLaren from 2003 to 2009 and again in 2011.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali said: “We decided to add De la Rosa to our group of drivers mainly to strengthen one area, namely work in the simulator, which with the current regulations regarding testing, is becoming ever more important.

“Pedro therefore joins a group of drivers that already includes Davide Rigon, Marc Gene, Andrea Bertolini and Jules Bianchi.”

De la Rosa said: “It is amazingly motivating to be working for a team like Ferrari, not just because of what it represents in the history of Formula 1 and motoring in general, but also because it will be a completely new and very stimulating experience for me.”

He is being reunited with Fernando Alonso, whom he worked with at McLaren in 2007, and joins fellow Spaniard Marc Gene in the team’s test squad.

“I am happy to be collaborating with Fernando again and also to be working with Felipe,” de la Rosa added. “There?óÔé¼Ôäós not much time until Australia, but there is a lot to do and I am available to help the team from right now.”

Ferrari also announced their 2013 F1 car will be officially launched on February 1st.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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33 comments on “Ferrari recruit de la Rosa and confirm car launch date”

  1. Profile Photo

    Eggry (@eggry)
    16th January 2013, 9:59

    Fernando Alonso, Pat Fry and now Pedro de la Rosa. Another Mclaren refugee to Ferrari?

    1. Profile Photo

      Eggry (@eggry)
      16th January 2013, 10:19

      http://www.portalautomotriz.com/site_resources/photos/00088388-original.jpeg

      All salute Spaniard King and his vassals :D

      1. Profile Photo

        celeste (@celeste)
        16th January 2013, 14:33

        @eggry LMAO…

    2. BBQ2
      16th January 2013, 11:10

      LOL Eggry, one big missing refugee would have been Coughlan had he not joined Williams ;)

  2. Profile Photo

    Nirupam (@nirupam)
    16th January 2013, 10:04

    That definitely seems to be a very good move to me. PDLR has a vast experience, he also has the reputation of a very good test driver and Ferrari can use it to a very good effect.

    1. Profile Photo

      Eggry (@eggry)
      16th January 2013, 10:09

      also he was a crucial personnel of Mclaren’s simulator based development which is what Fry trying to establish in Ferrari.

      1. Profile Photo

        BasCB (@bascb)
        16th January 2013, 10:35

        And he already tested some of the things Ferrari (used to) do with their cars both in testing and in the McLaren simulator in 2007 :-p

        1. Profile Photo

          Eggry (@eggry)
          16th January 2013, 10:42

          Hahaha, there’s no more Bridgestone tyres though.

      2. sumedh
        16th January 2013, 10:38

        Good spot! So I guess Pat Fry is finally being able to get his people and build his own team in the Scuderia.

        Good for us Ferrari fans.

  3. Profile Photo

    imarlab (@imarlab)
    16th January 2013, 10:07

    Mmmm….interesting. Had heard the rumors, never thought they would materialize. I always thought he would join HAM at Merc.

    In any case, good luck to him. A true gentleman and a great test driver.

    1. Profile Photo

      JCost (@jcost)
      16th January 2013, 12:42

      Yes, a gentleman and competent testing driver.

      Wishing Ferrari the best. They will need luck and skills to dethrone Red Bull.

  4. Profile Photo

    ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero)
    16th January 2013, 10:13

    This was certainly unexpected. Well, here’s to a bright future, Ferrari.

  5. Profile Photo

    GeeMac (@geemac)
    16th January 2013, 10:41

    A very good signing by Ferrari. I’m surprised McLaren didn’t ask him to come back given his history with the team.

  6. Profile Photo

    Slr (@slr)
    16th January 2013, 10:45

    I expected de la Rosa to go straight back to McLaren, so this is quite surprising. I guess he’ll also be the reserve driver in the event either Alonso or Massa can’t compete.

  7. Profile Photo

    Aditya (@adityafakhri)
    16th January 2013, 10:49

    what about Narain? is he gonna be test driver in McLaren? :p

    1. Gerry de C
      16th January 2013, 11:00

      @ Aditya – is the Pope jewish?

    2. Gerry de C
      16th January 2013, 11:02

      Is the Pope Jewish?

  8. Profile Photo

    Oskar (@oskar)
    16th January 2013, 11:04

    Excellent! Happy for De la Rosa!

  9. Profile Photo

    Nick (@schneeb)
    16th January 2013, 11:07

    Badoer and Fisi upstaged yet again… by someone who was running round in last for 2 years!

    1. Profile Photo

      John Bergqvist (@)
      16th January 2013, 12:03

      Badoer retired in January 2011 and Fisi is no longer their test driver as he races the marque’s sports/GT cars now.

    2. Profile Photo

      DominikWilde (@dominikwilde)
      16th January 2013, 12:05

      Badoer left at the end of 2010 and they still have Fisichella. Including De La Rosa, Ferrari have 10 drivers: Alonso, Massa, Fisichella, Gene, Bianchi, Rigon, Bertolini, Beretta, Bruni, and now De La Rosa.

      1. Profile Photo

        JCost (@jcost)
        16th January 2013, 12:47

        @dominikwilde

        10? Who’s gonna be #11? I’ guess they want the ‘scudetto’ (Serie A title) in lieu of a F1 title.

        1. Profile Photo

          @HoHum (@hohum)
          16th January 2013, 16:13

          Marko Webberini ?>

  10. BBQ2
    16th January 2013, 11:19

    Really the Scuderia is increasingly becoming a refugee camp for ex McLaren workers ….. From Kimi, to PDLR. The question is, who next will follow the footsteps of those? Jonathan Neally maybe?

    BTW, why do Maranello admire workers from Woking?

    1. Profile Photo

      Hairs (@hairs)
      16th January 2013, 14:23

      Say what you like about Pat fry’s slow cars, he’s proving adept at poaching staff.

    2. Profile Photo

      AbeyG (@1abe)
      16th January 2013, 14:24

      BTW, why do Maranello admire workers from Woking?

      Good question. Also, why do Woking worker prefer to work at Maranello?

      1. Profile Photo

        AbeyG (@1abe)
        16th January 2013, 14:24

        *workers

    3. Ogurka
      16th January 2013, 16:38

      They are also starting to build a new structure for the F1 Team located between the current Gestione Sportiva and the Cavallino Ristorante; do they refer to it internally as “il Paragone” ?

  11. Profile Photo

    OmarR-Pepper (@)
    16th January 2013, 13:36

    DLR is a good test driver, but probably Alonso helped a little in the decision to hire an unemployed Spaniard driver.
    ;P

  12. Jason Dy
    16th January 2013, 15:06

    Very happy for him, was afraid to lose him from F1. Glad to see he found a place somewhere.

  13. Profile Photo

    AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
    16th January 2013, 21:07

    That’s excellent news for both Ferrari and De La Rosa, nice one.

    1. Profile Photo

      Zagal (@zagal)
      16th January 2013, 23:19

      Agreed. Also good news for spaniard fans if we can enjoy DLR expert and spot on comments on spanish TV coverage.
      Best luck to Pedro as he deserves ir both as a driver and as a gentleman.

  14. Profile Photo

    Joe Papp (@joepa)
    6th February 2013, 19:46

    What will this mean for de la Rosa’s income for 2013? At Ferrari will he earn a living wage?

Comments are closed.