Massa’s engineer Smedley to work with Badoer

(GMM) Convalescing Ferrari driver Felipe Massa's regular race engineer Rob Smedley will work with Luca Badoer at the European grand prix and beyond, it emerged on Thursday.

Briton Smedley, 35, will remain in command of the number 3 Ferrari even in Massa's absence, as Italian test driver Badoer slips into the cockpit to replace his Brazilian colleague.

Smedley's F1 career began at Jordan before he moved to Ferrari's test team at the end of 2003.

In May of 2006, Smedley replaced engineer Gabriele Delli Colli, who had worked with Rubens Barrichello, due to a clash of personality with Massa during the Brazilian's first season as a Ferrari race driver.

The Smedley/Massa relationship subsequently became one of the highest profile and harmonious in formula one, with Smedley admitting after Massa's Hungaroring accident that he sees the 28-year-old as a "little brother".