Ferrari to decide in coming weeks about driver pairing for 2010

Sep 23, 2009, 15:20 GMT

Florence, Italy - The Ferrari Formula One team will decide its driver pairing for the 2010 season in the next few weeks with Kimi Raikkonen not yet guaranteed a drive, team president Luca di Montezemolo said Wednesday.

Brazil's Felipe Massa, who is still recovering from a fractured skull suffered in a crash during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, is guaranteed one of the seats with rumours abounding that Renault's Fernando Alonso will partner him after already agreeing a deal for next year.

'We will have a Brazilian driver because he deserves another chance given that, thank God, he is fine,' said Di Montezemelo.

'We are mulling over the best choice but still have time. We will decide in a few weeks.'

Raikkonen won the world championship by a single point in his first year with Ferrari but last season only finished third in the drivers' standings.

The 29-year-old Finn, who lies fifth in the championship standings this year with four races remaining, has been linked with a return to former team McLaren-Mercedes while Giancarlo Fisichella is currently filling in for the injured Massa before becoming Ferrari's reserve driver next season.

Although Raikkonen has a contract with Ferrari until the end of next season, the Italian marque's new sponsorship deal with Spanish bank Santander has increased speculation that Alonso is one his way to Italy.