Räikkönen and Massa Confirmed as Ferrari 2009 Drivers

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has confirmed the driver lineup of Ferrari in 2009 - Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa.

When asked by Italian sport newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport if Kimi Räikkönen will still be Felipe Massa's teammate next year, di Montezemolo replied in Italian, "Assolutamente si" which means,absolutely yes.

The Ferrari president then offered an interesting analogy, drawing the close scrutiny of current World Champion Kimi Räikkönen to famed Italian striker Filippo Inzaghi.

"All this criticism (of Raikkonen) reminds me of when (Filippo) Inzaghi was at Juventus: if he didn't score for three games, everyone would say he was in crisis.

"It can't be forgotten that he's the World Champion, and that last year he won in his first season with Ferrari, while many people never thought he would do so. Now he has 17 victories and I hope he'll get back to winning ways in the next Grand Prix in Belgium. Anyway, he's not a driver in crisis.

"Kimi is motivated and we must work to put him in the conditions to start races nearer the front, especially on these new circuits which I don't like and are bad for F1: you can't overtake on them, and nine times out of ten the man on pole wins."

In his usual calm manner, Räikkönen appeared unsurprised by the confirmation. "For me, nothing has changed. I have always had a contract (for 2009)," he said.

Unfortunately for Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, who was the World Champion in Seasons 05 and 06, the announcement would only bring disappointment. The Renault driver even intended to announce his future during the Italian GP weekend, when the announcement of Ferrari's driver-lineups are usually made.

For Alonso, all Di Montezemolo could offer him was his sympathy, "I was sorry to see a great Champion like him be out of the top ten at Valencia.

"But with regards to Ferrari, he can put his mind at rest."

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.

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