Kubica to replace Badoer at Monza

(GMM) With Force India wanting to hang on to Giancarlo Fisichella, the latest driver in "pole position" for Luca Badoer's temporary Ferrari race seat is Robert Kubica, according to Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday.

The Polish driver, 24, is reportedly keen on the drive in the wake of his current employer BMW's decision to pull out of formula one at the end of the season.

It had been thought that Ferrari might simply persevere with the struggling Badoer if Felipe Massa's return to car number 3 was nigh, but on Tuesday it emerged that the Brazilian is not likely to be fit enough until the start of the 2010 season.

However, the highly rated Kubica moving to Ferrari would leave the Italian team with an embarrassment of riches, given that Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are already under contract for next year, as according to strong speculation is the Spaniard Fernando Alonso.

In response to the La Gazzetta report, BMW team boss Mario Theissen told the German news agency SID: "That's all just speculation. There's nothing to it."