Ferrari has confirmed that Giancarlo Fisichella will be the team's reserve driver in 2010, confirming recent speculation linking the Italian to a test seat at the team. Fisichella has been drafted in from Force India to race with Ferrari for the final five races this year, as confirmed by the team earlier this afternoon.

“We chose Giancarlo, because we think that he can make a significant contribution in terms of points during the finale of this uncertain season,” team principal Stefano Domenicali said. “Furthermore we considered what could be his role inside the team in the near future, also taking this year's experiences into account. He will be the reserve driver in 2010.”

With Ferrari battling hard with McLaren for third place in the constructors' championship, Felipe Massa's original replacement Luca Badoer raced only twice before being replaced by Fisichella. Next weekend's Italian Grand Prix will be Fisichella's first race for Ferrari.

“I want to thank Vijay Mallya and Force India F1 for giving Giancarlo the possibility to cancel his contract in such a happy moment for the team, allowing him to crown his dream as a driver,” continued Domenicali.

“Now we have to concentrate on Monza, an event we really care for in a very special way: we know that it will be difficult to keep the performance level we had over the last Grands Prix, but we'll give our best to entertain our fans and I hope there will be lots of them at the track to support us.”

Speaking to Ferrari's official website, Fisichella said he was in seventh heaven, and thanked Ferrari's chairman Luca di Montezemolo for making the swift move happen.

“I'm in seventh heaven,” Fisichella told Ferrari's website. “I still can't believe it that the dream of my life comes true and I want to thank Ferrari and Chairman Luca di Montezemolo. Over the last week some really incredible things happened to me: the pole position and then second place at Spa and now I'm called by Ferrari to race the last five races of the season for them.

“I'll give my best to recompense the Scuderia for this great opportunity they gave me: I know that it won't be easy, but I'll give it everything to gain the best possible results.

“I want to say that I'm very sorry for Luca [Badoer]: I know how much he cared to race in Monza behind the wheel of a Ferrari, because this is the best thing that can happen to an Italian driver, to drive a red car in front of our fans.”

Although the Italian Grand Prix will be Fisichella's first race as a Ferrari driver, the Italian has already tested a Ferrari F1 car, almost 14 years ago. In 1995, having won the Italian F3 championship the previous year, Fisichella was one of four Italians (Luca Badoer among them) to test the Ferrari 412 T2 at Fiorano.