Ferrari recruit de la Rosa and confirm car launch date

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

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

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

      1. 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. Hahaha, there’s no more Bridgestone tyres though.

      2. 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. 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. Yes, a gentleman and competent testing driver.

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

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

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

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

    1. @ Aditya – is the Pope jewish?

    2. Is the Pope Jewish?

  8. Excellent! Happy for De la Rosa!

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

    1. 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. 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. @dominikwilde

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

        1. Marko Webberini ?>

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

    2. BTW, why do Maranello admire workers from Woking?

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

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

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

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

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