Despite now driving for arguably the slowest team in formula one, Giancarlo Fisichella insists that he is not yet thinking about retirement.
The Italian veteran of nearly 200 grands prix lost his Renault seat at the end of last year, and for 2008 has taken up residence at Force India; the Silverstone based team that in the former Jordan (2005), Midland (2006) and Spyker (2007) guises filled the lowest rows on the grid.
It is understood that Fisichella, who is celebrating his thirty fifth birthday on Monday, has penned a two year race contract.
To the Indian Express newspaper, he describes F1 as an “itch” that he still finds necessary to scratch.
“So be it any team, one steps into a cockpit to give their best,” he said.
Fisichella was Fernando Alonso’s teammate at title-winning Renault recently, but he denies that stepping down to a much less competitive car is a motivation-sapping feeling.
“I love F1 and want to be a F1 driver for a few more years, especially because the Force India project is interesting,” he explained.
He also backs team owner Vijay Mallya’s plan to merely break away from the last row of the grid in 2008, before eyeing the podium only in 2010.
“Being modest is better than talking big,” the Rome-born driver agreed.
“I guess moving out of the last row would make it a big leap forward,” Fisichella added.
