Jules Bianchi in the Ferrari mold

Jules Bianchi, winner of the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series championship, took his first steps as a Ferrari driver at the start of the year. After a very promising start in GP2 – fast in qualifying but less comfortable at the start of the races – the Brignolais joined the Team for an intense week.

If his colleagues from the FDA (Mirko Bortolotti, Daniel Zampieri and Raphaele Marciello) participated in the entire week of training, Bianchi was a little behind due to his GP2 Asia Series races last weekend in Bahrain. The Frenchman was still able to take the wheel of the F2008 in Maranello, almost four months after testing F1 reserved for young drivers at Jerez (December 1-3, 2009), during which he drove the Ferrari F60.

« Since Jerez I have built up a lot of confidence with the car, says Bianchi. This week I had to go to the limit. I worked well with the Academy technicians to improve my performance. »

In addition to his personal development program with Ferrari, Jules Bianchi will increase his experience in car by taking part, this year, in the European GP2 Series season, after the winter season on the circuits of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

« I can improve and racing in the main series is a great opportunity for me. I will be able to realize the benefit brought by my work with the Academy engineers. »

This week, in addition to a few driving sessions, the drivers of the Ferrari Driver Academy benefited from physical and psychological training, as well as English lessons.