Force India chairman Vijay Mallya on Monday clarified that Giancarlo Fisichella is not leaving the Formula One outfit after a team official had set the rumour mills agog,claiming the Italian driver was on his way to join Ferrari. After media reports quoted Force India's commercial director Ian Phillips as saying that Fisichella is poised to join Ferrari as replacement of Luca Badoer,a miffed Mallya said Phillips' comments should be ignored. "Ian Phillips' comments do not reflect the views of the Force India Formula One Team management since he is not designated spokesperson for the team. Nor is he authorised to speak to the media. His comments therefore should be ignored," a miffed Mallya said in a statement. "We completely deny as baseless whatever is attributed to him," he added. Earlier,Phillips told BBC Radio 5 live that a confirmation of Fisichella's switch might come in the next 24 hours. "We do expect a move will probably be made in the next 24 hours or so. Nobody's asked us yet but I think it's pretty likely that somebody will make a phone call to (Force India team boss) Vijay Mallya over the next 24 hours or so asking if we would release him to Ferrari. "I don't think they (Force India) have really got any options (but to release him)," Phillips said. Phillips' claim that Force India has got "no options" comes as surprise since the outfit's contract with Fisichella covers the entire 2009 season. An irked Mallya pointed out to Fisichella's post-race teleconference with the Indian journalist in which the driver vehemently denied joining Ferrari. "In response to specific and repeated questions on the subject,Fisichella has himself clarified that he has not received any invitation from Ferrari and went on to add that he was looking forward to driving the Force India car in Monza (Italian Grand Prix)," Mallya said. "There has been absolutely no change whatsoever on this front since yesterday and we look forward to Fisichella scorching the tracks at Monza," he added. In his interaction with the Indian journalists,Fisichella was not ready to talk about the "media speculation" and said he had not been approached by Ferrari yet. "This is purely rumour. Nobody (from Ferrari) has called me till now," Fisichella said. "I will drive for Force India in the next race in Italy. Rest are all rumours," the 36-year-old Roman said. Ferrari badly need someone to replace Badoer,their official reserve driver,who was drafted in to replace the injured Felipe Massa but has been struggling since then.
