Fisichella to replace injured Ferrari driver Massa for remainder of F1 season

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With just five races left in the Formula One season, Ferrari confirmed today that seasoned veteran and three-time race winner Giancarlo Fisichella will take the place of injured driver Felipe Massa, who suffered life-threatening injuries during a qualifying session in Hungary in late July when a stray part from another car collided with his helmet.

Massa’s accident initially had Ferrari in an all-out scramble to find a replacement driver, including seven-time world champion, confirmed Top Gear Stig and -- as if he hasn’t had his fair share of track time -- German Superbike hopeful Michael Schumacher.

However, with Schuey’s comeback delayed due to an injury suffered during a motorcycle crash earlier in the year, Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer got the nod to serve as Massa’s replacement at the European and Belgian Grands Prix. Unfortunately for Badoer -- who had little seat time due to a new testing ban for the 2009 season -- a last place finish on both occasions didn’t impress the Ferrari brass.

Rumors circulated that Ferrari was looking to either former Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais or BMW driver Robert Kubica to fill the spot. But it seems the Scuderia couldn’t resist getting its hands on a certain nativo Italiano, and this morning it was announced that 13-year F1 veteran Fisichella had been plucked from current team Force India, which not-so-coincidentally ran Ferrari engines last season and is still under contract with the Italian car maker.
Ferrari is thought to have excused debts of nearly 4 million Euro owed by Force India in exchange for Fisichella, who finished second last weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix, marking the first podium finish in Force India F1 history. With the Italian Grand Prix approaching on Sept. 13, Fisichella and his bright red F60 should give the passionate Tifosi plenty of reason to create mayhem, as they have been known to do. Habitually.

-- Brian Alexander

Brian Alexander is a staff writer at DriverSide.com