Tricky qualifying for Luca Badoer on Ferrari debut | 2009 European GP. Luca Badoer finished qualifying in last place.

On 22nd August, Luca Badoer finished qualifying for the European Grand Prix in twentieth and last place. On the Valencia street circuit, the long-time Scuderia test driver made his debut racing for the team, having been called in to replace the still convalescing Michael Schumacher, who had been due in turn to stand in for Felipe Massa, injured in Budapest a few weeks earlier.

It was not a good qualifying for Luca, even if he was well aware of the difficulties he faced, as he explained after the session: “Obviously, I’m a bit disappointed because it’s never nice to be last, whatever the situation, but I knew it would be hard.”

Ferrari drivers have finished twentieth or worse in qualifying for a Grand Prix thirty eight times, including occasions such as Monaco in 2010 and 2013 when they were unable to do even a single lap because of an earlier accident or a technical failure, or because they were given a penalty, as happened to Michael Schumacher at Monaco in 2006.