Alonso to replace Raikkonen at Ferrari

Renault's [ Images ] Fernando Alonso [ Images ] will replace Kimi Raikkonen [ Images ] at Ferrari [ Images ] next season, the Italian team said Wednesday.

Spain's Alonso, World champion in 2005 and 2006, has signed a three-year deal and will partner Felipe Massa [ Images ] next year.

"We are very pleased to welcome to our team a winning driver, who has demonstrated his extraordinary worth by already claiming two world titles in his career," Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said.

"Fernando has an exceptional personality and we will do everything to give him and Felipe a competitive car. We are certain these two drivers will form the best possible double-act for a team like ours.

"Having said that, we want to thank Kimi for what he has done with Ferrari."

Finn Raikkonen, who won the 2007 World championship in his first season with the Italians, had one year left on his Ferrari contract but has been linked in the media with a return to McLaren [ Images ].

Brazilian Massa has been out of action since fracturing his skull at July's Hungarian Grand Prix [ Images ] but has already started karting and is expected to be fit for the start of next season, if not before.

Giancarlo Fisichella [ Images ], filling in for Massa this season, will be Ferrari's reserve driver next year.