Gene ready to replace Ferrari’s Badoer

(GMM) Marc Gene at Valencia admitted he was disappointed when his Ferrari test colleague Luca Badoer was selected to replace the injured Felipe Massa.

The Spaniard is scheduled to travel to all the remaining grands prix in 2009 as reserve driver, but told German television ZDF that he is available if the Italian team wants to replace the struggling Badoer.

"I believe that I am prepared to race and it is obvious that I would have liked to have done it here before my public," Gene said.

Badoer, who at 38 is three years older than the 2009 Le Mans winner, has not been on the pace at Valencia and on Saturday qualified last by a big margin.

Gene is also more recently experienced than Badoer, having raced at Minardi in 2000 and then appearing to replace injured Williams drivers on a few occasions in 2003 and 2004.

"I remain at the team's disposal if they need me," he said at Valencia.