3.9.09

Force India has released Giancarlo Fisichella to join Scuderia Ferrari for the remainder of this season. His first race will be the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. This comes after the news that Felipe Massa will definitely not be fit to return this season and Luca Badoer's dismal performances in Valencia and at Spa, where Fisichella took a stunning second place.

The Italian veteran is 36 years old, entered Formula 1 in 1996 and has started 226 Grand Prix, winning three. His best performances came when he drove for Renault, but where he was generally out-shone by Fernando Alonso. After failing to inspire as team leader in 2007, he was dropped and joined Force India for 2008.

This astonishing opportunity with Ferrari in the twilight of his career comes after the usual denials that anything was happening. The cynical might think these were to drive the price up, but Force India team owner V J Mallya has said that commercial factors did not have a role in the outcome. This despite AUTOSPORT reporting that "Force India is understood to have outstanding debts with Ferrari left over from its customer engine supply deal that ended last year".

With it almost a given that Alonso will join Ferrari next season, one wonders what efforts were made for it to happen now. As it hasn't, Fisichella probably represents the best option for Ferrari and we wish him every success.