Giancarlo Fisichella who will drive in place of Felipe Massa in the last five races of the season will be the Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver during the 2010 season yesterday met the press for the first time since he has been a Ferrari driver.

A dream comes true for Giancarlo Fisichella, who arrived at Ferrari a few days ago for meetings and tests in the simulator. Yesterday the Roman F1 driver, who will drive in place of Felipe Massa during the last five races of the season, and who will be Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver for the 2010 season, met the press for the first time since he joined Ferrari at the end of last week.

"The dream has come true and now the challenge is not really easy,” Fisichella said. “I’m starting from the beginning, with a new car, a new team and a new steering wheel. I found a very open atmosphere here at Maranello. I know that in Monza I can count on two forces I didn’t have before. The KERS, which means 70-80 bhp more, and we could see that this was what I was missing last Sunday at Spa, when I was behind Raikkonen, and the Ferrari fans’ enthusiasm. I have to give them everything back, with results a driver with my experience can gain. Well with my feet on the ground, if I will gain places on the podium or win than it’s merited. After Friday’s emotion I will lower my visor, put in first gear and give 100 percent.”

The journalists at Fiorano were curious about his feelings, especially considering the speed things happened since last Wednesday. Fisichella said: “I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t sleep at night, but I didn’t speak about it with anyone. 24 hours later the announcement. It was done. The first person I spoke to was my father, my biggest fan, the one who said from time to time: ‘how come that Ferrari doesn’t call you?’ and the contact to the other Ferrari drivers? “I didn’t speak to them so far. Kimi is a great guy, a real world champion. It will be great racing with him. I’ll meet Michael tomorrow at Vallelunga. I know that he gave a positive comment when my name was mentioned. That’s great.” And Felipe Massa? “After the signature I called him together with Domenicali. He told me that he was really happy and that I am the right choice. I told him that I am very sad that I got this possibility only because of what happened to him in Hungary and I hope that he will be back as soon as possible. When he wants to come back the car is his. He can take it back. I hope that I’ll be as good as he is and to gain the results he had gained.”

The driver, who will debut in a red car on Friday at Monza’s free practice session, which will be his 227th GP, thanked Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo: "I have to say thank you to Chairman Montezemolo, who personally chose me, thank you also to Domenicali and to Ferrari for this possibility."

Ferrari also issued a brief statement on Felipe Mass's progress, announcing that his operation had been successful: "Felipe Massa had plastic surgery at his brain box, where the spring hit his helmet in the accident at the Hungaroring on 25 July," read the press release. "The operation, at the Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital, took around four hours and 30 minutes and had a positive outcome. After a short stay in hospital Felipe can go home and then start with his physical preparations," it added.