Whilst the majority of Formula 1’s attention has been focused on the young driver test in Abu Dhabi this weekend, which has now come to an end, Ferrari has been busy giving two F3 drivers the opportunity to get behind the wheel of an F1 car.
Vallelunga’s Piero Taruffi circuit hosted a test for Sergio Campana and Michael Lewis, the former the overall winner of the Italian F3 series, the latter the best rookie.
The pair got behind the wheel of Ferrari’s 2009 car, the F60, to lap the Piero Taruffi circuit under the watchful eye of the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Luca Baldisserri.
Canadian, Lewis, was the first on track, completing 45 laps of the 4.085km track, with a best time of 1.21.040.
In the afternoon, it was the turn of Campana from Modena, who ran 43 laps today with a best of 1.20.600.
At the end of the session, Baldisserri confirmed the initiative would continue next year with a prize drive for the best drivers.
“Our commitment to the youngsters in the Italian F3 will definitely run in 2012. Since 2008, we have offered this opportunity to the most deserving drivers from the series, running them in our F1 car, which, if only for a day, gives them a chance to realise their dream of getting close to the world of Ferrari,” he said.
[Top] Michael Lewis, [Bottom] Sergio Campana.