Ferrari signs Jules Bianchi

Wed, 2 December 2009, 04:01

Dec.2 (GMM) Jules Bianchi has signed a long-term contract with Ferrari and will continue his race towards formula one with a GP2 seat with the ART team in 2010.

The 20-year-old Frenchman is managed by Nicolas Todt, who also handles Felipe Massa, owns the ART outfit and is the son of the former Ferrari boss and FIA president Jean Todt.

Bianchi won the F3 Euroseries this year with Todt’s team, and this week is making his formula one test debut with a two-day test at Jerez.

On Tuesday he was fifth quickest at the wheel of Ferrari’s F60 single seater.

Ferrari confirmed that Bianchi is “part of the group of Ferrari drivers”, elaborating that he has signed a “multi-year contract” similar to the one that saw Massa make his way into F1 in 2002 and eventually secure a race seat with the famous Italian team.

“This is the first step on a journey that could turn out very nicely, but I’m equally aware that there is still a long way to go to get to formula one,” said Bianchi.

He is the grandson of Mauro Bianchi, a GT world champion, and the nephew of Lucien, Le Mans winner and competitor at 19 grands prix in the 60s.

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