Fisi to Ferarri!!!

[Scott]

CONGRATULATIONS FISI!!  What a way to earn it!  I bet you can't tear the smile off his face today.

From F1 Live:

Force India confirmed this afternoon that Giancarlo Fisichella has been released from his contract with the Silverstone-based team to join Ferrari for the remainder of the season.

“I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari,” said Fisichella. “It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay [Mallya] to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous. I hope in my turn I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best.”

Felipe Massa, currently recovering from injuries sustained in Hungary, will be out of action for the remainder of the season and with test veteran Badoer failing to shine at both Valencia and Spa Francorchamps, the Italian team were left with little alternative other than to look elsewhere for the remainder of the season.

"Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari," stated team principal Vijay Mallya. "For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this.

"Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo's long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India."

For Badoer, his final two Grand Prix were something of a ‘thank you’ from Ferrari for his long standing service to the team as test driver.

Ferrari is third in the constructors’ championship and heading to its home race at Monza and will be looking to extend their 12 points cushion over the recovering McLaren Mercedes team.

Ferrari is to confirm Fisichella’s signing at 16.30 CET while Force India is expected to promote test driver Tonio Liuzzi to the race team with an announcement “in the coming days”.

[cosworth151]

I just tried to log onto FIF1's site, and it's completely bogged down. AP has confirmed the story, too.

So, Dare, how long until you start getting Ferrari gear? 

[cosworth151]

I finally got through to the FIF1 site. It confirms the story.

http://www.forceindiaf1.com/index/page_id/356/news_id/225

[Jericoke]

Congratulations to Fisi and Liuzzi!

Well done for Mallya too.  Sponsors aren't going to be happy about letting the best driver go.  Nice to see there are people in F1 who see their way to doing the right thing.

With all the talk about German drivers in F1, we're suddenly flooded with Italians!  Trulli, Fisi, Badoer, Liuzzi.

[John S]

Congratulations to Fisi and Liuzzi!
With all the talk about German drivers in F1, we're suddenly flooded with Italians!  Trulli, Fisi, Badoer, Liuzzi.

With Badoer and Trulli's performances of late perhaps it should be a shower not a flood.

 So effectively Liuzzi replaces Badoer on the grid, unless of course the other Luca intends to put three Ferrari's out for their home GP on the Monza track.

Good news for Fisi though, and he gets to experience most F1 drivers dream of piloting a Ferrari.  I think in the end Vijay has given way to the inevitable and has taken a deal off Ferrari with good grace.

[Scott]

I had to grin at his claim that there was no financial agreement...I suspect it was not discussed, and VJ is hoping it won't ever be.   

[Scott]

Looks like Fisi got the reserve/test role he wanted too...

F1 Live:

Stefano Domenicali confirmed on Thursday that Giancarlo Fisichella will be Ferrari's reserve driver next year.

The team boss was speaking to the Ferrari website on the day the 36-year-old former Force India driver arrived at Maranello from Rome to begin preparing for the last five races of 2009.

Domenicali indicated that Fisichella's role for next year was a factor in his choice as Luca Badoer's race replacement.

"He will be the reserve driver in 2010.” He said. “We considered what could be his role inside the team in the near future, also taking this year's experiences into account.”

Before ending his long race career and slipping into the test role, Fisichella will replace the struggling Badoer at the wheel of injured Felipe Massa's F60, beginning at his home race at Monza next weekend.

One of his first tasks on Thursday was to climb straight into the cockpit of the red single seater so that technicians could begin to modify the seat and controls to his liking.

"I’m in seventh heaven," Fisichella said. "I still can’t believe it that the dream of my life comes true. I know that it won’t be easy, but I’ll give it everything to gain the best possible results. I want to say that I’m very sorry for Luca - I know how much he cared to race in Monza behind the wheel of a Ferrari, because this is the best thing that can happen to an Italian driver, to drive a red car in front of our fans."

[Scott]

Gotta love this quote - maybe it's the quote of the week!

He must have been watching different races than the rest of us (fair enough Kimi did extremely well, but the royal 'we' doesn't actually apply).

From Stefano Domenicali:

"Now we have to concentrate on Monza, an event we really care for in a very special way: we know that it will be difficult to keep the performance level we had over the last Grands Prix, but we'll give our best to entertain our fans and I hope there will be lots of them at the track to support us."

[greener_09]

Congratulations to Fisi im sure he'll do great in a Ferrari.It amazes me though how easy it is to walk out of a contract in F1.I presume a very large amount of cash has found its way to Force India.

[Jericoke]

Congratulations to Fisi im sure he'll do great in a Ferrari.It amazes me though how easy it is to walk out of a contract in F1.I presume a very large amount of cash has found its way to Force India.

I don't know Vijay Mallya beyond those sparkley earrings.  I assume he's a successful business man on merit.  The last thing any businessman wants is someone working for him that completely resents them.

If Ferrari did come knocking at Fisi's door, and Mallya said, 'sorry son, but I'm just going to dash your dreams, good luck next race', who knows what would happen?  Would Fisi mope?  Would his teammates become upset at the injustice?

It was a very classy move by Mallya, but it's not an unreasonable business decision, even if it is questionable to let your best driver walk away.

[david1275]

Congratulations Fisi, great to have you on board. 

I really hope he can be a the sharp end for the rest of the season, and gives Kimi as hard a time as he did in Spa.

Have to say my view of VJ and FIF1 have vastly changed over the last week. Before I just seen a team owned by a super rich individual, who were there to make up the numbers. I never really thought they had any chance of being a regular points contender. I was wrong and I hope their success continues in the future.

[FW14B]

Great news for Fisi, I imagine it will be like all his dreams rolled into one.  What a swansong to his F1 racing career.

[Alianora La Canta]

I'm still struggling to sort out all my feelings on this one. I'm delighted that Giancarlo gets to live his dream of racing for the Scuderia. I'm a bit worried about what Force India will do without him. I'm pleased that everyone involved handled the matter gracefully. I'm a bit sad that it looks like I'm about to watch Fisi's last five races of his career. Finally, I'm dreaming of the possibility of a fairytale sign-off - perhaps being the first Italian to win in a Ferrari at Monza since (I think) 1967 and the last driver since Alain Prost to win his last race (1993) would be the icing on the cake of a very good driver who fortune, until recently, had quietly spurned.

[Dare]

All things considered I think I'd rather Fisi stay
at Force India and race there next year.But
we don't know the whole story and Luizzi said
he had a contract to drive next year,so lets wish
him the best and hope for a storybook ending to
his F1 racing career.

Ali with luck we might get 2 Fisi hats this year
and is Fisi happy?A picture is worth a thousand words

[Buks]

Ali I hope Sutil proved to you today that FIF1 can do without Fisi and my other hope  is that Toro Rosso will also become a serious contender