Scuderia Ferrari issued a very brief statement in the Monza paddock this morning confirming that Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen (seen above in the paddock this morning) will be the team's drivers for next year.

Scuderia Ferrari issued a very brief statement in the Monza paddock this morning confirming that Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen will be the team's drivers for next year. The news puts to rest season-long rumours that former Spanish double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso would be seen in one of the red cars in 2009.

"Ferrari announces that it has extended its agreement with Kimi Raikkonen to the end of the 2010 race season," read the brief statement issued today. "Therefore, the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver line-up remains unchanged for the next two coming seasons," the press release concluded.

Rumours had suggested that reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who is having a dismal season, could possibly retire at the end of the current season. The 28-year-old Finn joined Ferrari from McLaren-Mercedes last year and won six races (Australia, France, Great Britain, Belgium, China and Brazil) in his maiden season with the Italian team on his way to clinching the 2007 F1 drivers' title. Raikkonen has had a tough time of it so far this year, he has won just two races (Malaysia and Spain) and currently lies a distant fourth in the points standings, 19 points off the top of the leaderboard. He is now confirmed as a Ferrari driver for a further two years (2009 and 2010).

Meanwhile Felipe Massa will start his fourth season with the team next year. A former test driver he joined the Ferrari grand prix line-up in 2006 as team mate to Michael Schumacher. He won two races (Turkey and Brazil) that first year on his way to third place in the points standings. Last year the Brazilian was fourth, and won three races (Bahrain, Spain and Turkey). With five wins so far this year (Bahrain, Turkey, France, Valencia and Belgium) he is having his best season so far and is in second place, just two points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton.