
Ferrari have extended world champion Kimi Raikkonen's contract to the end of the 2010 season, ending speculation about the Finn's future at the team.
Raikkonen's deal had been due to end at the end of 2009, and there had been reports that Fernando Alonso was set to replace him either then or next year.
But Ferrari said in a statement on Friday that their line-up would remain unchanged for the next two seasons.
Raikkonen's team-mate Felipe Massa also has a contract until 2010.
Raikkonen has produced a string of unconvincing performances this season, when he has often looked a shadow of the man who made a spectacular late charge to win his first drivers' title last season.
The 28-year-old, who is the highest-paid driver in F1, has often been overshadowed by Massa this season and lies third in the championship, 17 points behind the Brazilian and 19 behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, heading into Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
Raikkonen has so far indicated his reluctance to help Massa's title bid while he still has a mathematical chance of winning the championship himself.
It remains to be seen whether his new deal will have any effect on that approach.
So lacklustre have some of his performances been that there had even been claims that he might leave the team at the end of this season, freeing up a space for Alonso.
The Spanish double world champion is known to be a favourite of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and is keen to drive for Ferrari in the future.
Alonso has an option to get out of his two-year Renault contract at the end of this season if he wishes and is being courted by the struggling Honda team, as well as BMW Sauber.
He remains the key to this season's driver market, but his options for the future have narrowed considerably now he knows that there will likely be no seat at Ferrari available until at least 2011.
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