Scuderia Ferrari confirmed today that Felipe Massa will replace Rubens Barrichello for the 2006 FIA Formula One season. Rumour has swirled over the past few days that the young Brazilian Sauber-Petronas driver would replace his veteran countryman at Ferrari next year, particularly in light of comments made over the weekend by BAR boss Gil de Ferran to the effect that Barrichello would be joining them.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt hinted for the first time that Barrchello may leave the team - after a six year stint which has yielded nine race wins - in comments the Frenchman made on Sunday evening. And today Ferrari issued a brief statement confirming Massa's appointment. "Ferrari announces that it has taken up a renewable option in a contract that dates back to 2001, tying the driver Felipe Massa to the Scuderia," the press release read, adding: "Therefore, the agreement means that Felipe will race for the team for the 2006 season. Rubens Barrichello will leave the Scuderia at the end of the 2005 season, after a successful and rewarding collaboration that dates back to 2000 and has contributed, to date, to the winning of five Constructors’ World Championships," the statement concluded.

Rubens Barrichello

Rubens Barrichello, from Sao Paolo in Brazil, began his F1 careen back in 1993 with the Jordan-Hart team. He stayed with them for four years (the second two with Peugeot engines), before he switched to the Stewart-Ford outfit in 1997. At the end of 1999 he was signed up to partner Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, replacing incumbent Irishman Eddie Irvine.
 

He scored a single race win (in Germany) during his first year, and in fact had to wait until 2002 before he climbed back into the winner's circle again.  As very much a 'number two' driver, his return of nine victories in five and a half years is not particularly impressive, although this season can be discounted as the F2005 has not been able to challenge for wins.

Felipe Massa

Barrichello will now be replaced by another Brazilian hot shot, 24-year-old Felipe Massa. Hugely regarded in the F1 paddock for his car control abilities, blinding pace and smooth driving, Massa made his F1 debut for the Sauber team at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix, the year after winning the F3000 crown. Then the youngest driver in F1, his lap times were impressive, but his inexperience showed through. The next year he took up a testing role with Scuderia Ferrari, before he returned to the Sauber fold again last year. With Sauber using Ferrari engines (badged as 'Petronas' units in deference to their Malaysia title sponsor) it was widely assumed that Ferrari's management had pushed him back into the team, to 'groom' him for an eventual seat in the Maranello team. He had an excellent second F1 season: fourth in Belgium, fifth in Monaco, and eighth in Malaysia, China and Brazil, delighting team boss Peter Sauber. A third season with the Swiss-based outfit beckoned this year, and it has seen him consistently outperform his highly experienced team mate, former F1 World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve, strengthening his credentials even further.