Ferrari Signs Jules Bianchi after Jerez Test

Ferrari's announcement last month that they are looking to sign a young promising driver for a potential job with the Scuderia's F1 operations seems to have been serious business. After only 2 days of testing at Jerez – where the rookie sessions are currently under way with all the major F1 teams – the Maranello team decided they've seen enough of young Jules Bianchi in the Ferrari F60.

It has therefore been confirmed that the 20-year old Frenchman has signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari. The news is really no shock to anyone familiar with the Ferrari organization, as Bianchi is managed by none other that Nicolas Todt, the son of former Ferrari boss and current FIA president Jean Todt.

In his spare time, Nicolas also owns a team in the GP2 Series, namely the ART Grand Prix, and champions Ferrari's driver Felipe Massa.

According to a press release from the Scuderia, the deal signed by Bianchi resembles the one signed by Felipe Massa almost a decade before, which saw the Italian driver make his way into an F1 cockpit in 2002. However, Ferrari did not mention exactly what Bianchi's role with the team will be, starting 2010 onwards.

“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 the reigning champion of the F3 Euroseries, when finding out the news.

While also benefiting from a great motorsport pedigree – he comes from a family in which motor racing was a tradition ever since his grandfather Mauro won the GT championship – Bianchi will also make his debut in the GP2 series next year, obviously with ART Grand Prix.

Another detail worth mentioning is the fact that Bianchi recorded the best time from all rookies during the Tuesday session of the Jerez test.