Salo Won Drive On Pressure Vote.

Mika Salo only got the job of replacing Michael Schumacher because Ferrari bosses thought he would be able to handle the pressure better than Luca Badoer.


According to reports surfacing at the Austrian Grand Prix, only Salo and Badoer were considered for the drive, ruling out any approach to Sauber's Jean Alesi. Badoer, as Ferrari's regular test driver, was widely considered to be the favourite to stand-in for Schumacher, but was eventually overlooked because of his lack of race experience.


"It was not an easy choice [to take Salo]," admitted team boss Jean Todt, "because we already had a very good test driver in Luca Badoer. In our opinion, we had two choices: take Luca from Minardi, or ask another driver who we felt could do a good job and was available.


"Considering the pressure and tension we will be living with at the moment, we felt it would be better to ask Mika to drive the car."


Todt refused to reveal, however, whether Salo would be asked to play second fiddle to Eddie Irvine. The Irishman has acted as back-up to Schumacher for three seasons, and lies just eight points from the championship lead after eight rounds, but Ferrari has not stated whether he is now an unequivocal number one in Schumacher's absence.