Ferrari to decide on Badoer

Ferrari will decide within the next three days whether Luca Badoer will drive for the team at the Italian Grand Prix.

Badoer's two performances since stepping in as replacement for the recuperating Felipe Massa have been so miserable he has earned the cruel nickname 'Look How Bad You Are'.

At the European Grand Prix in Valencia and for yesterday's race in Belgium, Badoer qualified at the back of the grid and was last of those that finished.

The team's tester of 12 years has been an embarrassment, and it is hard to imagine Ferrari keeping faith with the 38-year-old for the most important race of their year.

It is almost certain Ferrari will turn to Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella who, after starting from pole, yesterday gave the team their first points in Formula One by finishing a superb second to Kimi Raikkonen.

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali refused to give anything away, but said: ‘First of all, Luca has to cheer with us because he is part of the team.

‘For what he has done for the team, he deserves the victory with us.

‘With regard to what we are going to do for the next races, we will tell you in the next three days.’

Regarding Fisichella, Domenicali added: ‘Giancarlo is a driver that seems to be very fast, and he had a great race.

‘But I cannot say whether the speculation is true or not.’

The team will instead initially focus on the latest step in Massa's recovery from a fractured skull sustained in a horrific accident in last month's Hungarian Grand Prix as he will today visit renowned neurosurgeon Steve Olvey in Miami.

‘I heard from Felipe after the race and he was very happy. He cheered with us,’ added Domenicali.

‘He is already in Miami, and today he will have his medical check. Then we will use all our consideration after that.

‘We will put on the table all the different things that are correct and have been considered, and then we will make a decision.’

Despite the speculation surrounding the second race seat, there was no hiding the understandable delight within Ferrari at their first win this year, and Raikkonen's first in 26 races.

‘It hasn't been an easy year for us,’ said Raikkonen.

‘We have not brought new parts to the car for a few races now as we are really putting all our effort into next year.

‘My aim was still to win at least one race this season and try to keep third place in the (constructors') championship, so this is going to help us a lot.

‘It is great for the team. Hopefully now we can get some more good results. We will now see what we can do in the last part of the season.’

A beaming Domenicali, who joined Raikkonen on the podium, remarked: ‘It was a great day.

‘After such a difficult season up to now, and after what happened to Felipe just one month ago, I think it was really what the team deserved.

‘We at Ferrari, we never give up, we always push, and this is a gift to our president (Luca di Montezemolo), whose birthday is today, and for Felipe who has cheered with us from Brazil.

‘Also for the entire Ferrari family and tifosi (their fans) who have suffered with us.’

Championship leader Jenson Button and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton were both involved in a first-lap pile up that brought their race to a premature end.

Button still has a 16-point lead over Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello who was seventh, with Sebastian Vettel 19 points off the Briton after he claimed the other podium place for Red Bull.