Force India
Fisi to Ferrari
Released
By Force India Press Office
September 3 2009
Following extensive discussions over the past 24 hours, the Force India Formula One Team has agreed to release Giancarlo Fisichella from his contract to join the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team for the remainder of the 2009 season, starting with immediate effect.
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal, commented, 'Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari. 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.
'We would like to stress that we have not agreed any financial settlement with Ferrari. This agreement has been made in good faith and for the good of Giancarlo and the sport in general. A competitive Italian driver in a Ferrari for Monza is a positive story for Formula One, which can only help raise the sport's profile in these difficult times.
'We would like to thank Giancarlo for all his help over the past one and a half seasons and for delivering us our first World Championship points last weekend. He has been an integral part of the team and we owe him a great deal for his input behind the scenes and performance out on track. We wish him all the best for the future.
'For Force India, this sport is a team effort and removing one part, even a major one, will not significantly affect our performance. The competitiveness of the team seen in Belgium was a result of hard work in the factory and wind tunnel and we have further developments coming for the final races, so we are confident this momentum can be sustained. We are now looking forward to a strong finish to the season.'
Giancarlo commented, 'I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team. It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay 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.'
A decision regarding the driver of car number 21 will be made in the coming days and no further comment will be made on this front.
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
03/09/2009 14:56
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Darwin was right!
Jordan > Midland > Spyker > Force India
Fisichella is racing for Ferrari in Monza....
link
Damn it just when there is a race coming up where Force India can score some good points... now we have to hope that Liuzzi and Sutil will perform.
I am still hoping that the whole story isn't true.
Edit.
It is on Autosport now.
link
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:09:03:14:57:12 by perer.
Darwin was right!
Jordan > Midland > Spyker > Force India
But he did a great job and driving for "The Red" is a dream come true
He has given a lot to the FI to be remembered forever
All the best Fisi ... chase your dreams
It was nice of Mallya to let go him so nicely - good show
-----------------------------------
NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!!!
Oh my god!
oh my god!!
oh my god!!!
Next race is round the corner ......
Darwin was right!
Jordan > Midland > Spyker > Force India
I'm editing this now that I've had a while to digest what's happened, and feel I should wish Giancarlo good luck for the future, he's nice guy, so although I'm disappointed in him leaving, I wish him all the best.
I still hope that the view he'll have from the Ferrari cockpit will be the rear of Adrian's car though
)Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:09:03:16:20:10 by Speky.
Anthony Davidson - my preferred choice
Vitantonio Liuzzi - likely replacement
Any other possibilities?
As long as they don't employ Takuma Sato!!!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009:09:03:16:27:58 by Speky.
Plus FISI is most likely gonna be test driver for ferrari next season...part of the deal...
So is bye bye LUCA baddriver...
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro announces that it has appointed Giancarlo Fisichella to drive car number 3 from now to the end of the 2009 season.
“We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season,” commented Stefano Domenicali. “Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career, that he is fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race. We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he demonstrated in these circumstances: it is a shame he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult.”
Anyone, other than Raikkonen, Massa, Fisichella, Sutil, Button, Barichello... You get the idea!
Darwin was right!
Jordan > Midland > Spyker > Force India
My theory on why it wasn't announced in the same release as Giancarlo is that the team may be waiting for the hubbub to fade a bit so that Liuzzi gets his share of the spotlight too.
Speky, I think you may be right about this effectively signalling the last five races of Giancarlo's F1 racing career, unless something strange happens. It is a good way to finish though, and if Giancarlo's reaction to the news is anything to go by, he sees it as rather more than good.
It is something of a setback for Monza, though Adrian is to be dismissed at one's peril. Several times, he's missed out on good results through bad luck and Giancarlo is proof that anyone's luck can turn at the most unexpected yet timely moments.
The message in the press release appears to be that no payment has been agreed yet. Perhaps both teams anticipate that it could be a long negotiation but see no reason why that should stop the transfer from happening.
Finally, I'd like to say I am very pleased at the way Force India have conducted themselves through this week. They've done their best to quiet speculation when it was threatening to get out of control and they've been very graceful in the way they've let Giancarlo go.
He is an Italian, so this is his home grand prix. Which fortunately is quite an easy track to master.
Sutil will probably be ahead of him though, hopefully his stream of bad luck will end @ Monza, the rule of chance are in favor of it.
all the best to fisico.....and i guess now liuzzi is the next best choice for the remainder of the season.
also regarding the fee to FI, for releasing fisi, i overheard that there were dues to be settled with ferrari and this switch has cleared most of it.....so, not a bad deal for a team with tight budget.
-------------------------------------------------
[b]The Scottish Forums
But there may be a fine print in it. Most of the time, test drivers are given a clause in aggreement through which they are allowed to leave if they find a driver seat at some other team.
After driving for Ferrari (and if posts some good results) Fisi Market demand will go up. Knowing 3 more teams are likely to join, it(driving for Ferrari) may be a wise move who knows. I dont think Fisi wants to terminate his career like this.
Season Number 6 for :: starf1 :-)
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2009:09:04:19:54:06 by Vas.
I wish him all the best and good results in the next 5 races so that he can get a shot at a race drive next year. Fisi is still incredibly fast when he needs to be and is a really nice guy and F1 need guys like him.
I think Luizzi will get the seat for FI as well. I think he will do well. he has been out of F1 racing for two years which not a long time unlike Badoer.
